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 Saint Joseph's help, or. 
 
 Stories of the power and 
 

SAINT JOSEPH’S HELP; 
 
 OR, 
 
 STORIES OF THE POWER AND EFFICACY 
 OF ST. JOSEPH'S INTERCESSION. 
 
 FROM THE GERMAN OF 
 
 / 
 
 THE VERY KEY. J. A. KELLER, D. D., 
 
 Priest of the Diocese of Freibourg, 
 
 Author of “Angeli Dei: Stories of Guardian Angels. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 THE VATICAN LIBRARY CO. 
 
 84 Church Street. 
 
 1891. 
 
ST. JOSEPH’S HELP. 
 
 I.—LEGENDS. 
 
 The Theee Lilies of St. Joseph. 
 
 Night was slowly giving place to day ; that night 
 in which the holy Foster Father of our Lord had 
 received the order to fly into Egypt, and the morn¬ 
 ing sun had already begun to tinge with its ruddy 
 glow the mountain-peaks of Idumea. 
 
 Hurriedly and silently the Holy Family pursued 
 their way along the western shore of the Dead Sea, 
 directing their steps towards Egypt. The Divine 
 Child slept; Mary and Joseph communed in secret 
 prayer with God. 
 
 After a while, the Holy Virgin, sweetly turning 
 herself to Joseph, said : 
 
 “ Dear Spouse, how it grieves me that on account 
 of the Child and His Mother thou shouldst have 
 to undertake so wearisome a journey and bear so 
 heavy a burden.” 
 
 “ Grieve not,” replied Joseph; 11 as for me, I 
 thiik with wonder on the honor that God has done 
 me in choosing me as His instrument in this great 
 undertaking ; truly, I know not what I have done 
 to deserve it.” 
 
 At these words the Divine Child awoke, and 
 looked up into Joseph’s face with eyes beaming 
 with love and confidence; then, raising Himself up 
 
2 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 on the lap of His Mother, He bowed downwards as 
 if looking and seeking for something on the earth. 
 On the wayside grew white lilies, yet glistening 
 with the morning dew. The holy Joseph under¬ 
 stood the meaning of the Child’s movement, and 
 stooping, he plucked one of the lilies and offered it 
 to Him. He stretched out His little hand to re¬ 
 ceive it, showing His childlike joy, as He held it 
 up first to His holy Mother and then to Joseph. 
 At last He held it out to His Foster-Father, and 
 gave it to him, with a look, as if He 
 would say: “Dost thou know now why 
 God has chosen thee as His instrument?” 
 This lock flooded Joseph’s heart with glad¬ 
 ness, for it filled his soul with a divine grace, which 
 gave him so intimate an understanding of tha 
 beauty and sublimity of the angelical virtue of 
 chastity, and of purity of soul, that his heart beat, 
 and his whole body trembled with joy ; he held up 
 the lily against the glittering rosy light of the 
 morning sun, and exclaimed : “ O, beautiful lily! 
 yet how far more beautiful the virtue of which thou 
 art the emblem ! O, lily of pure heart! Ten such 
 lilies in Sodom and Gomorrah, and they would yet 
 ba standing in the midst of verdant plains! O, 
 marvellous justice of God against the abominations 
 of sin ! Now, in this hour, I understand His ways 
 and the secrets of His judgments !” Thus spoke 
 the holy Joseph in the fulness of his heart, as he 
 walked onwards, and beheld the drear and funereal 
 aspect of t .e Dead Sea ard its fea:ful shores. 
 
 Just then a figure appeared in the far distance; 
 Joseph’s heart trembled as he thought of possible 
 
8T. JOSEPH S HELP. 
 
 3 
 
 danger for the Mother and Child, but, as he 
 arpro3ch*=d nearer, he noticed that the habiliments 
 were those of a woman. “Unclean! unclean!” 
 cried a shrill and mournful voice; )t was that of a 
 poor lep'r, driven out from the abodes of men. 
 Her face was horribly disfigured, and her body was 
 c^d in filthy and ragged garments ; standing at a 
 distance on the wayside she begged an alms as they 
 passed. Joseph handed the lily to the Chi*d to 
 to hold, whilst he drew out a small coin to g‘ve to 
 the poor lepsr; the holy Virgin loosened a little 
 kerchief which she had wrapped round the Divine 
 Child to protect him from the cold night wind, and 
 handed it also to the distressed creature. Then 
 Joseph, looking at the Child, said; “ Thou alar. 
 Little One, w uld certainly wish to give something 
 to this poor beggar, if Thou wert not so poor Thy¬ 
 self.” Thereupon the Divine Child held out the 
 lily to the woman, fixing at the same time upon her 
 as earnest but reproachful look. 
 
 “See,” paid Joseph, “what the Little One gives 
 thee ; come and take it.” 
 
 The woman took the lily from the hand of the 
 Child. 
 
 Can a leper weep ? or has not the frigh’ful 
 disease dried up and destroyed the fount of 
 tears? Be that as it may, as this poor leper took 
 the lily, fears streamed from her eyes, and a 
 convulsive sobbing shook h?r whole frame; she 
 trembled as she staggered to one side, and 
 stood watching the fugitives as they pursued 
 their way until the distance hid them from her 
 sight. 
 
4 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 She had been a great sinner, and the leprosy was 
 the punishment of her evil and dissipated life. 
 The Divine Child had given her more than the lily: 
 with it He had bestowed upon her the grace to see 
 and acknowledge her hateful guilt, and with repent¬ 
 ance came the memory of the long-lost innocence 
 of her childhood. As her eyes lost s ; ght of the re¬ 
 treating figures, she covered her face with the ker¬ 
 chief the most holy Virgin had given her, ard, 
 throwing herself on the ground, gave way to a flcod 
 of tears, weeping as if her heart would break. 
 
 The day had begun to decline, the western sky 
 was flooded with a gold and crimson tint; but as 
 the sun sank below the horizon, a cool, fresh wind 
 blew from the west. 
 
 The Holy Mother pressed her little one closer to 
 her bosom, and drew her blue mantle tighter 
 around Him ; she missed now the protecting ker¬ 
 chief which in the morning she had given to the 
 poor leper. Joseph noticed her with pain, and 
 there came a temptation to the poor, tired, house¬ 
 less, anxious man, and he sighed as he said: 
 
 “It will be very hard, O Mary, for poor fugitives 
 and exiles such as we, to have to find food, clothing 
 and shelter. Soon the little sum of money we 
 brought with us will be expended ; perhaps before 
 we reach our destination we shall be penniless; 
 and even when we reach the term of our fl ght, 
 what means shall we find to provide for the future? 
 Poor Mother—poor Child!” 
 
 Anx : ously the Mother looked at her Virgin 
 Spouse, but she had to turn quickly to the Child, 
 Who strove to raise Ilimrelf in her arms, and was 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 5 
 
 stretching out His little hands towards the ground. 
 
 Again were the wayside lilies the object of His 
 desires, and again did the holy Joseph pick one, 
 and, as he handed it to Him, he received one of 
 ihese wonderful looks from His Divine eyes that 
 penetrated the inmost depths of his soul. 
 
 “ Pardon, pardon, Mary!” he exclaimed; “ I have 
 indeed spoken foolishly.” And he began at once 
 to sing the 90th Psalm : “ He that dwelleth in the 
 help of the Most High, shall abide under the pro¬ 
 tection of the God of Heaven.” 
 
 As he continued it, the Ohild fell asleep again 
 in his Mother’s arms ; and before Joseph had con¬ 
 cluded the Psalm, he espied in the distance a little 
 lowly hut, or cottage, towards which he at once di¬ 
 rected his steps, resolving to seek there a shelter 
 during the night for the Mother and Child. 
 
 The inmates of the cottage, though they accorded 
 the usual Eastern hospitality, looked gloomily at 
 them as they entered; and the master of the house, 
 approaching Joseph, said with a surly voice : 
 
 “ Here you may indeed enter; but poverty and 
 misery are the only dwellers in this abode, and 
 despair is already on the threshold!” 
 
 “ My friend,” answered the holy Joseph, as he 
 showed him the lily which he held with the pil¬ 
 grim’s staff in his hand, behold this flcwer of the 
 field ; it soweth not, neither does it reap ; it builds 
 itself no shelter, and yet it always holds its beauti¬ 
 ful head erect to the sun; care never bows it to 
 the earth. Raise up also youi head, for the same 
 God Who cares for this lily, cares also for you.” 
 
 The impression these words produced was most 
 
6 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 wonderful, for the grace of the little Christ-Child 
 was with them and with the second lily of St. 
 Joseph. 
 
 The Holy Family rested for the night under their 
 sheltering roofs, and spent the evening in conver¬ 
 sation full cf comfort and consolation for those 
 who had received them. In the morning they rose 
 early to continue their flight, but before leaving, 
 their host begged of St. Joseph the Ifly that he 
 held in his hand, and refused all other payment or 
 gifts. He placed the lily in a vase of water, and 
 ss long as he lived it never faded or withered. 
 
 H is it ever chanced to you, dear reader, at any 
 time to stand in a garden, as the evening shadows 
 fell and the sombre veil of twilight began to en¬ 
 velop the earth as with a pall ? At such a moment 
 the lily flower appears to stand out like a corona of 
 light, its glistening white petals breaking through 
 the darkness. 
 
 Well, then, listen now to the story of Joseph’s 
 third lily. 
 
 Many dajs had passed since St. Joseph had le^t 
 the lily in the hands of the owner of the desert 
 dwelling, yet still the fugitives were hastening on 
 their weary way. They were now nearing the 
 frontier of Egypt; already from a curve 
 in the road they had seen in the dis¬ 
 tance the dome of an idotatrous temple, 
 risicg from the midst of dwelling-houses, and 
 shining as it caught the rays of the setting eun. But 
 the holy Joseph had a very pad heart, all the more 
 because, as the sun set, a thick darkness began to 
 spread itself over the earth, and it became almost 
 
ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 7 
 
 impossible to distinguish the path they had to take. 
 Laying his hand on the bridle of the ass which car¬ 
 ried their little burdens, he sighed and said: 
 
 “ If only we had a torch! ” 
 
 Just then the Divine Child, Who was sleeping in 
 His Mother’s arms, awoke, and stretching out His 
 little hands, seemed to seek something from the 
 ground. At once the holy Joseph looked and saw 
 an object white and shining, gleaming amid the dark 
 green on the wayside. Again it was a lily. He 
 plucked it, and handed it to the Child, but as he 
 gave it into His hands, behold! from the corolla of 
 the flower a dazzling white light streamed forth, 
 which spread itself all around, whilst a small white 
 Host, with a tiny shining red cross in its centre, 
 floated just above the flower petals. 
 
 The clear, bright light fell upon the pathway, 
 and made the journey now quite easy. The Divine 
 Child held out the wonderful lily-torch to St. Jo¬ 
 seph, who, with renewed courage and joy, pursued 
 his way, but silently, for a holy fear and astonish¬ 
 ment possessed his whole soul. 
 
 This light, which was a mysterious revelation of 
 that Food of Angels wherewith the Lord feeds the 
 souls of men, served as a guide for the Divine Child, 
 on His entrance into that land where of old the 
 people of God had been fed with heavenly manna ; 
 and this image of the most adorable Sacrifice, 
 through which the Name of God, as the Prophet 
 had foretold, “ should be great among the nations,” 
 entered, shining brightly, into the idolatrous city, 
 to oppose its light to the darkness of the idola¬ 
 trous worship of an unbelieving people. 
 
8 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 Boon the Holy Family found themselves in tbe 
 midst of an Egyptian city, and were passing before 
 the great temple whose shining dome they had be¬ 
 held from the distance. The light from the radi¬ 
 ant lily fell on the huge misshapen and grotesque 
 idol, carved in white marble, that was in front of 
 the temple gates, and in this pure light it was 
 changed into an object black and murky as the dark 
 night. 
 
 A priest of the idol stood beside it, and a ray 
 of the Divine light of grace fell also upon 
 his heart; raising his voice he exclaimed pro¬ 
 phetically : 
 
 “ Oh Lily, thou hast come to conquer the Lotos !”* 
 
 Then turning to the Holy Family, he said: 
 
 “ Strangers, whomsoever you may be, a God is 
 with you, and His light enlightens you,” and im¬ 
 mediately closing the gates of the temple, he dis¬ 
 appeared into its dark recesses. 
 
 The Holy Family had in the meantime moved 
 onwards, and reached a house before whose entrance 
 a lamp was burning. Here the lily suddenly 
 emitted aflame of marvellous brilliancy, illuminating 
 the whole house as it stood before them. The holy 
 Joseph took this for a sign that he should here 
 seek and find shelter. He accordingly approached 
 the door, and in this domicile the Holy Family 
 found a home at the commencement of their sojourn 
 in the idolatrous land of Egypt. But the li'y be¬ 
 came invisible; it had been taken by an angel’s 
 hand and laid on the Mount of Calvary. 
 
 This, dear reader, is the parable of the three 
 
 * The lotus Sower was the symbol of Egyptian idolatry. 
 
8T. Joseph's help. 
 
 9 
 
 lilies of St. Joseph, but you must note well its sig¬ 
 nification, and remember the following lessons that 
 it teaches. 
 
 A pure heart is the greatest of treasures, and a 
 pledge of predestination; its loss the most de¬ 
 plorable misery and unhappiness. 
 
 A pure heart is a source of consolation and con¬ 
 fidence in God. 
 
 A pure heart is victorious over the devil, idolatry 
 and superstition, and is the special and intimate 
 friend of Jesus in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar. 
 
 St. Joseph beseeches you never to forget these 
 lessons. 
 
 THE WILL AND ITS EXECUTOR. 
 
 A Legend from the Spanish of Fernan Caballero. 
 
 Pay attention, dear children, and I will tell you a 
 story; a story which, perhaps, may never really 
 have happened, but which is well known and often 
 related, and which, even if it never occurred, will 
 do both your heart and your soul good to hear. 
 
 Once upon a time there lived a pious 
 honest man, who worked as a carpenter; he 
 was with his whole heart devoted to St. 
 Joseph, the patron of his trade. St. Joseph was, 
 as you know, a carpenter, and therefore, from the 
 earliest times, all mechanics, and especially car¬ 
 penters, have honored him as their model and 
 patron. 
 
 The Capuchin Fathers once gave an order to our 
 carpenter to make an altar for the chapel of St. 
 Joseph in their convent, and he succeeded so well 
 that the whole town ca^e to see it, and admired the 
 
10 &T. Joseph's help. 
 
 skilful manner in which he had handled his tools, 
 especially in the delicate carvings, in which he had 
 represented in a most lively and touching manner 
 the humility and love of the Man-God, Who had 
 not disdained, during His mortal life, the humble 
 dwelling of a poor but industrious carpenter. 
 
 It is one of the peculiarities of men that things 
 which they can see with their eyes make more im¬ 
 pression on them than those things which they 
 hear, and this is one of the reasons why our holy 
 Mother the Church gives, and has given from the 
 earliest times, so much encouragement to all visible 
 representations in her ten*pies of the mysteries of 
 our holy faith. 
 
 I.—LEGENDS. 
 
 But to return to our carpenter : As years rolled 
 on, trouble in many shapes v'sited his little home; 
 first his wife died, then he lost all his children ex¬ 
 cept one daughter, he himself fell sick, and as ke 
 had grown old and weak, he could do very little 
 work. At last he became completely blind, and 
 consequently incapable of earning anything for his 
 subsistence. 
 
 He bore all these trials and contradictions with 
 the greatest patience and resignat on to the Divine 
 Will, never losing his confidence in God, or his 
 trust in his holy patron, St. Joseph. 
 
 His good daughter nursed and tended him as 
 well as she could, but this left her very little time 
 to spare in which to earn anything for their sup¬ 
 port ; consequently, she was obliged to part, one 
 by one, with all the little furniture and necessaries 
 
6T. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 11 
 
 in the house, in order to provide food and fuel; so 
 that in a short time they were reduced to the ex¬ 
 tremity of poverty and distress. 
 
 In this sorrowful condition the old carpenter felt 
 his end approaching, and, desiring to die as a good 
 Christian, he received ail the last Sacraments, and 
 prepared his soul for its passage into eternity. 
 
 Then, calling his daughter, he desired her to go 
 and fetch a notary, in order that he might make his 
 last will and testament. 
 
 “ You want to make a will, father! ” exclaimed 
 the astonished girl. “ Why! what have you that 
 you can leave ? Are we not already reduced to the 
 direst poverty and want? ” 
 
 “ Never mind, my daughter, but go quickly and 
 do as I bid thee.” 
 
 “ The fever is making him delirious,” said the 
 poor girl, wringing her hands in her distress ; but 
 still she dared not disobey, so she went out to fulfil 
 his wishes. 
 
 The notary, on hearing her request, raised his 
 eyes with surprise, and smiling, said to himself: 
 
 “ Ah! this old carpenter, who appeared so poor, 
 has, after all, money to leave; he must have become 
 a miser in his old age, and his poverty has only been 
 a cloak to hide his treasures. Well, a death-bed 
 brings many secrets to light. We shall see now to 
 whom he will leave all that he has saved! ” 
 
 Saying this, he put on his hat, and, taking up a 
 roll of parchment, ink and a pen, he prepared to 
 follow the girl to the old m^n’s house. 
 
 After a few minutes’ walk he arrived at the poor 
 cottage, a^d entered the room v»here the old car- 
 
12 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 pnter lay sick; a wretched bed and one chair con¬ 
 stituted the whole of the furniture of the apart¬ 
 ment. 
 
 The notary seated himself, and having unrolled 
 and spread out his parchment on the bed, as there 
 was no table, he took out his pen, dipped it in the 
 ink, and wrote the usual form at the head of the 
 will: 
 
 “ In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity.” 
 
 Then he looked up to the old man for his in¬ 
 structions how to proceed. The carpenter, with an 
 effort, raised himself a little, and, in a weak and 
 tremblirg voice, began to dictate; 
 
 “I bequeath my soul to God, my body to the 
 earth, and I name my holy Patr on, St. Joseph, as 
 the guardian of my daughter and executor of this 
 my last will and testament.” 
 
 Having finished these words, he sank back on his 
 pillow, and with one deep sigh his soul passed 
 peacefully into eternity. 
 
 The notary, who had expected something very 
 different from this, rose in consternation and af¬ 
 fright. Without noticing the poor, weeping girl, 
 who knelt beside the bed, he rapidly collected to¬ 
 gether his parchment, ink and pen, and left the 
 house more speedily than he had entered. 
 
 The poor daughter now felt all the bitterness of 
 her loss. Sbe was a ] one in the world, and so poor 
 that she knew not how she should be able to pro¬ 
 vide a shroud and coffio, and all that was requisite 
 for the Christian burid of her poor father. Clasp¬ 
 ing her hands together, she bowed her head on the 
 bed and wept unrestrainedly. 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 13 
 
 So she remained until she was aroused by a knock 
 at the door. She rose to open it, and a nobl9 but 
 aged man with a most kind and friendly counten¬ 
 ance entered the little room. He wore a plain coat, 
 was wrapped in a dark mantle, and carried a staff 
 in his hand. 
 
 «•» 
 
 “Comfort thyself, my child,” he said to the deso¬ 
 late girl; “be not troubled; I will take care of 
 everything; leave all to me, and I will see all pre¬ 
 pared for your father’s burial.” 
 
 Then, after a few more words of encouragement 
 and comfort, he went out, and soon again returned 
 with men bearing a coffia and all that was needful, 
 The priests also came, and on the next day the poor 
 carpenter had an honorable and Christian funeral. 
 The noble stranger himself followed the coffin to 
 the grave as chief mourner, and remained to see the 
 body consigned to the earth. 
 
 After having performed this last service for the 
 deceased, the stranger turned his steps to one of 
 the principal streets of the town and knocked for 
 admission at a house of a rich and well known 
 merchant. He announced himself as one who had 
 important business to transact, and when the mer¬ 
 chant came to him he at once said: 
 
 “Do you remember a severe storm at sea, which 
 you encountered a few years ago, off the coast of 
 Spain, in which you were in great danger of losing 
 not only your vessel and merchandise, but also 
 your life, and the lives of all the crew? ’ 
 
 “Yes, I remember it well,” answered the as¬ 
 tonished merchant, “but how could you kno w of it?” 
 
 “Do you also remember,” continued the stranger. 
 
14 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 ‘ a vow you then made, that if God would save you’ 
 from that peril, you would seek out the poorest and 
 most virtuous maiden, and espouse her as your wife?” 
 
 “How!” exclaimed the slill more surprised mer¬ 
 chant, “how is it possible that you should know 
 this? Never in my life have I mentioned to any 
 person the secret promise I made to God!” 
 
 “Have you still the intention to fulfil your vow?’ 
 continued the venerable stranger, without noticing 
 the question of the other. 
 
 “ Yes,” he replied, “ yes; I am grieved that I 
 have so long delayed to perform what I promised 
 to God.” 
 
 “ Will you then allow me to introduce you to the 
 poorest, but also to the most virtuous maiden in 
 this town ?” 
 
 “ By all means; my heart feels so strange and 
 yet so strong a feeling of confidence in you, that I 
 am resolved to be guided in this matter entirely by 
 your counsel and advice.” 
 
 The next morning the merchant, accompanied by 
 the robl© stranger, went to the dwelling of the 
 desolate and bereaved daughter. The poor girl 
 was in the greatest distress, for already the landlord 
 1 ad given her notice to leave, as he feared she 
 would be unable to pay the rent for the house. 
 
 “ Weep not, my child,” said her unknown bene¬ 
 factor, “you need have no anxiety for the future; 
 see, this gentleman who has come with me, he will 
 take care of you. He is good and pious, and 
 blessed with worldly means ; he is willing to marry 
 you, and as his wife he will protect and support 
 you.” 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 15 
 
 The maiden willingly agreed to this proposal, 
 and all the necessary arrangements for the betrothal 
 were made. 
 
 When the time of mourning had elapsed the mar¬ 
 riage took place with much rejoicing and solemnity, 
 and as all were assembled at the wedding feast, the 
 newly-married pair begged of their benefactor, who 
 was Bitting in a friendly manner in their midst, that 
 he would be pleased to tell them who he was, in 
 order that they might know to whom they owed so 
 many benefits. 
 
 The venerable stranger rose, and with a sweet 
 and pleasant smile thus addressed all who were 
 present: 
 
 “I am Joseph, who received from God the grace 
 and dignity of being the husband and guardian of 
 Mary, and the nursing Father and protector of the 
 Divino Child. Thy pious father, my daughter, con¬ 
 secrated himself and his whole life to my honor, 
 service and devotion, and on his death-bed he ap¬ 
 pointed me the executor of his last will and testa¬ 
 ment. I have now punctually fulfilled all. His good 
 soul I presented to God, his body I committed to 
 the earth, and as thy guardian I have also faith¬ 
 fully provided for thy happiness and well being.” 
 
 Whilst he spoke these words the roof of the 
 room seemsd to opeo, and a light, brilliant and 
 rosy £S the early morning sunrise, and clear as the 
 day, streamed all around. In the midst of this 
 heavenly light appeared a glorious Child who 
 called. Baying : 
 
 “Come, Father, come; Mother wants you.” 
 
 At thr'a vi ion the pious couple and all the 
 
16 
 
 st. Joseph's help. 
 
 wedding guests s^nk on their knees and rec?ived 
 with folded hands and eyes flowing with tears, the 
 blessing of the Saint, who, wi h his eyes fixed cn 
 the bride and oridegroom, took the hand of the 
 Divine Child and held it raised in blessing above 
 them, until his figure disappeared, and was lost in 
 the blue sky of the heavens. 
 
 Now, dear children, what do you think of this 
 story ? 
 
 I will tell you one thing, which it ought to im¬ 
 press on your minds, and that is the great benefits 
 which God bestows on those who have confidence 
 in the intercession of St. Joseph. 
 
 Dor even if it never ready occurred exactly as 
 the legend has come down to us, yet, certainly, it 
 could have happened, for there is nothing deroga¬ 
 tory in it to the honor of the Saint, and it brings 
 before us the consoling thought that in the midst 
 of the grievous and multiplied trials of life, God 
 sends us help through the means and intercession 
 of His Saints, only we must remember this help 
 may not always be granted to us in such a visible 
 and miraculous manner. 
 
 II.—ST. JOSEPH OUR HELPER IN COR 
 POR1L NECESSITIES. 
 
 1 —St. J sfph is a Good Prccurat r. 
 
 A. more holy or venerable cloister has never ex¬ 
 isted in this world, than that in the litt’e town of 
 Nazire 4 h, eighteen hundred years ago. It has be¬ 
 come the ideal and perfect model cf all religious 
 communities, and its three holy inhabitants, Jesus, 
 
et. Joseph’s help. 
 
 17 
 
 Mary and Joseph, are the mirror of all souls con¬ 
 secrated to God, which they ought daily to con¬ 
 template, in older to mould according to these 
 Divine hearts, their own life, their souls, their whole 
 Learts. 
 
 Yes, truly, this poor little hut of Nazareth has 
 witnessed in their highest perfection all those vir¬ 
 tues which form the real foundation of a life conse¬ 
 crated to God. Poverty, chastity, obedience, morti¬ 
 fication, manual labor, humility and self-denial, 
 charity and sacrifice, piajer and contemplation; all 
 these sweet and heavenly flowers have never 
 flourished more luxuriantly or beautifully than in 
 the house of Nazareth, the first Christian cloister 
 upon earth. 
 
 The head of this little community, the glorious 
 St. Joseph, has been at all times an especial friend, 
 patron and protector of all houses and souls conse¬ 
 crated to G:d, and still to this day often manifests 
 this fatherly predilection in a remarkab'e manner, 
 even tomelimes condescending to werk miracles to 
 prove his paternal care and compassion for religious, 
 when suffering distress of any kind. 
 
 The following simple but touching anecdote of 
 the Franco-German war, in 1870, is an example of 
 his kind and powerful protection. I know not how 
 it is that amongst all the instances cf blessing con¬ 
 ferred by St. Joseph in these our times, none has 
 impressed me more than the occurrence I am about 
 to relate. 
 
 When the terrible siege of Metz began, 
 there was a large and flourishing convent be¬ 
 longing to the Dames dia Sacre Coeur, situ- 
 
18 
 
 ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 ated in the surburbs of the town. They 
 were of course obliged to dismiss all their 
 pupils, and ina*ead of these innocent children, whom 
 they had been teaching to lead goed and happy 
 lives in piety, diligence and peace, they were forced 
 to harbor and feed more than one hundred eoldiers. 
 
 When, at last, the siege was over, misery and 
 distre s, instead of being also at an end, teemed 
 then only to begin in sad earnest, In the con¬ 
 vent, as elsewhere, even the necessaries of life were 
 wauling, and the inmates knew not how to obtain 
 them. But instead of being discouraged, the good 
 Religious placed their confidence all the more firmly 
 in God, and unanimously resolving to give them¬ 
 selves unreservedly into tli9 hands of St. Joseph, 
 they with childlike simplicity devised the following 
 plan. 
 
 During recreation hour one of the nuns made a 
 sack, into wh ch she placed a morsel of everything 
 they most needed—a potato, a bit of wood, a scrap 
 of bread, a tiny bottle of oil, etc. 
 
 This sack w^s then laid at the feet of St. Joseph’s 
 statue, as it were, to make the Saint fu ly and 
 clearly aware of their wants. 
 
 And it did indeed seem as if his tender heart 
 could not resist this appeal, for the very next morn¬ 
 ing arrived at the doer of the convent a man with 
 two heavily-laden wagons of wood. 
 
 The Superioress, who naturally k ew nothing 
 about it, explained to the good man that she had 
 neither ordered wood, not had she any money to 
 pay for it. But he would not allow him elf to be 
 tent away, and began to unload his wagon, answer- 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 19 
 
 ing that he had been desired to say: “ This is the 
 wood of St Joseph, destined for the Convent of 
 the Sacre Coeir.” 
 
 We cannot imagine the joyous astonishment of 
 the nuns at so quick and generous an answer to 
 their prayers ? 
 
 But their confidence was to be still more re¬ 
 warded, as oil was much wanting. The Sister 
 whose duty it was each evening to walk all through 
 the passages and rooms of the large house, be¬ 
 sought S!;. Joseph to supply her with the nec°s- 
 sary oil for the lamp which she was obliged to carry 
 with her, as her duty occupied more than half an 
 hour, promising, in return, that if he would grant 
 her request she would burn a light in his honor. 
 And now behold what happened; the lit le 
 lamp, which ordinarily needed refilling three times 
 in the week, suddenly appeared to become inex¬ 
 haustible. 
 
 Night after night did this good Sister make her 
 rounds, carrying the wonderful lamp, which always 
 remained so full that not a drop more oil could be 
 poured into it. 
 
 When this miracle first became known, it had 
 already continued far thirteen months ; whether it 
 still goes on I cannot say, but I know that these 
 are only two out of the many other signal favors 
 accorded by St, Joseph to this religious house. 
 
 2. St. Joseph Helps a Missioner. 
 
 During the time that I was building my church 
 in 1879, being in the utmost trouble and distress 
 about my debts, I began a Novena to St. Joseph 
 
20 
 
 st. Joseph's help. 
 
 nine days before his feast, hoping that he would 
 help me. On the first day of this Novena, I 
 happened to visit a neighboring brother priest, and 
 told him that I was now sur© of the morey I needed, 
 as I had placed the affair in the hands of S'. 
 Joseph. This otherwise good and pious priest 
 answered in a somewhat satirical tone: “ Oh ! than 
 you will certainly receive something handsam?— 
 how much do y^uwantf’ I replied that I must 
 get at least £75: and then the conversation 
 changed. 
 
 I continued the Novena, but obtained notling 
 At las*, on the eighth day, arrived a donation of 
 of £7 10s. The next day, the 19 h of March, was a 
 Sunday. A'tsr the early Mass, I sent as usual to 
 the post office, and julge of my joy and gratitude 
 to find there awahirgme a money order for £6710s., 
 just the sum I required to complete the £75. Who 
 could have felt greater happiness thaa I did, as I 
 laid the money on the altar b fore the statue of St. 
 Joseph, and thanked our Divine Lord and His 
 Foster-Father for their wonderful help. 
 
 3. St. Joseph in America. 
 
 A filiation of D minican Nuns from the convent 
 of Holy Cross at E tisbon, in Bavaria, cam© to 
 America, and settled in Green Bay, in the north of 
 Wisconsin. Their litt’e house in the commence¬ 
 ment was very poor. One of the nuns relates: 
 
 Wa were at that time so poor that often 
 we had neither money, nor firing, nor even food. 
 Once, on a very cold evening, there was not a single 
 piece of wood in the house to light fha fire for the 
 
bt. Joseph's help. 
 
 21 
 
 next morning. We did again that night what we 
 had often successfully tried in like emergencies; 
 before we went to bed we fervently invoked St. 
 Joseph’s assistance in our distress. 
 
 Suddenly, at midnight, we were all awaked by a 
 heavy rumbling noise, and then we heard sounds 
 as if a wagon cf wood was being unloaded. 
 
 Hastily arising, we went downstairs and found 
 this indeed to be the case. A Dutch farmer whom 
 we knew, and who resided about four miles from 
 our house, was standing there, and in reply to our 
 question, how he happened to think of bringing us 
 wood at such an unusual time, especially as we had 
 not ordered it, only replied that he could not tell— 
 an interior voice had urged him to set oft at once, 
 as the nuns were in great want of it. 
 
 Whose voice could this have been, save that of 
 our powerful protector ? 
 
 4.—Protection of St. Joseph in Time of War. 
 
 The following passage we have extracted from 
 the “ Propagateur de la devotion a St. Joseph et a 
 la Sainte Famille,” and it may tend to ircrease 
 more and more the devotion to the glorious Foster- 
 Father of our Lord: 
 
 We have all heard of the devastations, the horri 
 ble sacrileges and the murders committed in those 
 unfortunate provinces which were ravaged by the 
 Garibaldians. Their rapacity and cruelty were es 
 pecially excited against religious houses, so that we 
 do not hesitate to consider the following fact as a 
 miracle worked by St. Joseph. 
 
22 
 
 ST. Joseph's help. 
 
 A Jesuit Father at R?me writes on the 28th of 
 October, 1867, as follows: 
 
 “ Reverend Father : — An invasion of Garibaldi- 
 ans was hourly expected. Six of our Fathers re¬ 
 turned from Tivoli to Rome, eleven others remained 
 in Tivoli, where for eight days they were surrounded 
 by the brigands. 
 
 “ In their distress, the Fathers made a vow to 
 perform a solemn Triduo in honor of St. Joseph, if 
 he would vouchsafe to protect them. 
 
 “ The vile Garibaldians had occupied all the re¬ 
 ligious houses except ore; and while our school¬ 
 rooms were unoccupied, except by the comfortable 
 beds provided for the Zouaves, who shortly before 
 had been quartered there, the Garibaldians were 
 content to remain in the neighborhood with no 
 better accommodation than straw for their night’s 
 lodgings. 
 
 “ No kind of contribution was demanded from us ; 
 indeed, the only visit they made us was in order to 
 mat e an offering to the Father Rector of a book 
 carried off from the library of the seminary, which 
 they had plundered. 
 
 “ On the last day of their stay, they sent to ask 
 for four barrels of wine, which we gave them ; but, 
 on the first tidings of the defeat of Montana, they 
 hastily decamped, leaving our four barrels quite un¬ 
 touched. 
 
 “ On Sunday Father M—— came with a deputa¬ 
 tion of three of our pupils to assist at the condu¬ 
 it ion of our three days’ devotion in honor of St. Jo¬ 
 seph. 
 
 “ The Triduo had also the same happy result as a 
 
ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 23 
 
 successful Mission, for on the last day there were 
 at least one thousand communicants. 
 
 “ The news that we had escaped so fortunately 
 excited the greatest astonishment in Rome, and His 
 Holiness Pope Pius IX. vouchsafed on this occasion 
 to grant us a Plenary Indulgence.” 
 
 5. St Joseph Protects a Religious Community 
 
 In the year 1871 the population of Angoulenos 
 was in great ai xlefy, fearing an outbreak of the 
 revolutionary party which had already committed 
 such outrages in Marseilles and Ljons. 
 
 The religious communities, terrified at the ap¬ 
 proach of the storm, which was sure to fall most 
 fiercely on them, implored the succor and pro¬ 
 tection of Almighty God and His Saints. 
 
 Among these communities was one whose 
 Superioress had a great devotion to St. Joseph, 
 and after offering to him many fervent prayers 
 for the safety of her children, she felt inspired 
 to fasten to the outer door of the convent a 
 picture of St. Joseph, with the clearly expressed 
 intention that he should take upon himself the 
 office of guardian of the community. 
 
 She did this with such complete confidence that 
 afterwards, in order to encourage the Sisters, she 
 said to them simply : 
 
 “Fear nothing, my children; we have St. Joseph 
 as our sentinel at the door ; under such protection 
 all is secure.” 
 
 By and oy evening came on, and the most threat¬ 
 ening rumors spread through the town. Suspi¬ 
 cious-looking people were seen in the streets, the 
 
24 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 crowd continued to increase, ard, finally, about two 
 hours after sunset, a savage mob, shouting, blas¬ 
 pheming, vociferating dreadful threats against 
 the Religious, set out in tho direction of this cor- 
 vent, which it was feared they would at once attack. 
 And these forebodings proved only too true, for 
 the miserable, misguided wretches soon began their 
 malicious work. With heavy stones, clubs, or any 
 other implements they could lay hands upon, they 
 endeavored to force open the door. 
 
 The Bisters had already gone to rest with the ex¬ 
 ception of the Superioress and her Mo 4 her-Assist¬ 
 ant, and they kept watch in prayer before an image 
 of St. Joseph. But at the first sound of this ter¬ 
 rific uproar, one and all started out of bed, and 
 rushed downstairs. They were met by their Su¬ 
 perioress, Mother N——, who calmly desired them 
 to retire to rest again, assuring them that the honor 
 of their heavenly Protector being at stake, He 
 would be sure to save them. 
 
 Supernatural obedience prevailed over human 
 fear, and the poor nuns retired again to their cells, 
 although to sleep “with one eye” (as they say in 
 Germany), was out of the question, for it seemed as 
 if all the demons of hell were yelling and raging 
 around their convent. 
 
 Meanwhile Mother N—— went down to the hall 
 or vestibule to ascertain how the work of destruc¬ 
 tion was goirg on ; anl to her alarm she alreadv 
 could see cracks and fissures in the door. Hastily 
 returning to the Oratory, she and the Mother-Assist¬ 
 ant again most fervently commended the Community 
 to the care of their blessed Guardian. 
 
bt. Joseph’s help. 
 
 25 
 
 Then once more descending the staircase, she 
 found this time the fastenings of the door were 
 almost destroyed. A few more blows, and their 
 savage enemies would have gained an entrance to 
 wreak their inhuman vengeance on these helpless 
 victims. 
 
 With more earnestness than ever, yet with in¬ 
 creased confidence and peace of mind, did this 
 heroic religious again recommend herself to St. 
 Joseph; when suddenly, in a moment, all was 
 silent! 
 
 What does it mean? Her heart answers her that 
 her prayers have been heard. She rose from her 
 knees, and for the third time went downstairs, 
 hardly able to believe her own ears, and thinking 
 that she must be laboring under a delusion. But 
 no ! nothing was to be heard. She looked at the 
 door, and to her surprise saw that half of it was in 
 ruins, and yet no one had entered. She dared even 
 to go farther, and looked through the large open¬ 
 ing into the street; but where lately there had 
 been an immense crowd, now not a single human 
 being was to be seen, only the reflection of the 
 street gas-lamp quietly shining on the opposite 
 wall. 
 
 “ Well, Deo gratias, it is all right,” she eaid to 
 herself, “ now we must thank St. Joseph.” 
 
 No sooner said than done, and after a most fer¬ 
 vent act of gratitude and thanksgiving, both she 
 and the Mother-Assistant went peacefully to bed, 
 and we trust also to sleep. 
 
 The next morning dawned clear and bright. 
 Except the ruined door, no sign remained of the 
 
26 st. Joseph's help* 
 
 1 st eight’s a^srrn, and if it had not been for this 
 silent but eloquent witness, the nuns might almost 
 have persuaded themselves that the events of the 
 previous few hours had been more a dreadful 
 dream than a reality. 
 
 During the course of the day Mother N-was 
 
 ca 7 led to the guest-room to see a pious lady who 
 had come to express her condolence and sympat v y 
 with the Community for the terrors of the past 
 n ght. Then she asked the Superioress if sbekn w 
 the person whose appearance had frightened away 
 the impious crew in a moment. Mother N--re¬ 
 
 plied that she only saw that the dior was very 
 nearly destroyed, but that she knew nothing of the 
 person whom she mentioned. The lady then re¬ 
 lated the following account: 
 
 p “ When I heard that awful noise I went to the 
 window in a house opposite to the convent 
 door, to observe the frightful scene from 
 behind a shutter. The thought of the in¬ 
 evitable sufferin ? for these Spouses of o: r 
 Divine Lord seemed to pierce my heart, and I 
 had hardly the strength or courage to look on at 
 the work of destruction. As I gazed I saw a tall 
 man of very noble deportment and venerable ex¬ 
 terior come out of the little street which bound? 
 your house at the side. With slow steps he ap¬ 
 proached the crowd, apparently as a spectator, 
 neither speaking a word nor making the least sign. 
 But truly he had not come merely to look. Scarcely 
 w"s his presence perceived than the wretches were 
 struck dumb, and seemed as if they could net hurry 
 awaj quickly enough. Surely he must have been a 
 
BT J SIPh's HELP. 
 
 27 
 
 man of great importai ce, whose mere appearance 
 was sufficient to frighten away this band of human 
 devils. Who can he have been?” 
 
 “Let us thank Divine Providence,” answered the 
 Superioress, u Whom it has pleased to deliver us by 
 the means of St. Joseph from such an extremity of 
 peril.” 
 
 Go to St. Joseph; in his hand is placed the wel¬ 
 fare of nations and countries. Entrust therefore all 
 things you can to his protection, then will it be well 
 with you in time and in eternity. 
 
 6. An Obphanage. 
 
 Not long ago, the good Superioress of a Fran¬ 
 ciscan Convent was in great distress. We do not 
 know her real name, so we will call her Mother 
 F-. 
 
 Well, her trouble was this: the nuns had under¬ 
 taken the care of an orphanage, and they endeavored 
 to bring up as many destitute little children as 
 possible, in the love and fear of God. But for some 
 time, from different causes, they had been growing 
 
 poorer and poorer, and now Mother F-was told 
 
 that she must send away some of her much loved 
 orphans, as she bad not the means of supporting 
 them. Her motherly heart bled at the thought of 
 turning these little ones of Christ adrift again into 
 a world of sin and misery, and she resolved at lea fc 
 to delay the evil hour for some days; meanwh le, 
 with the most ardent fervor imploring the assiat- 
 asce of St. Joseph, the powerful protector of youth, 
 to guide and help her in this sad difficulty. 
 
 Her request was not made in vain. The very next 
 
28 
 
 bt. Joseph's help. 
 
 Wednesday an unknown person sent her a con¬ 
 siderable sum of money for the sustenance of her 
 poor children. The Wednesday following arrived 
 another present to rejoice the heart of the good 
 Mother, in the shape of a large parcel of old clothing, 
 sent by a Tertiary of St. Francis, for the use of the 
 orphans. And, on the third Wednesday, she re¬ 
 ceived again a large sum of money, sent quite unex¬ 
 pectedly by a relation of one of the children. 
 
 7. St. Joseph, Protector op School Children. 
 
 This is another story for the children. It was 
 contributed by the Sisters of St. Joseph, and shows 
 wonderfully the care this loving Foster-Father takes 
 of the little ones entrusted to him. 
 
 The children were in school in their various 
 classes, when, suddenly, with a frightful crash, 
 down fell from its stand a very large and heavy 
 blackboard, crushing in its fall several of the 
 younger children, who were not more than four or 
 five years of age. It is impossible to describe the 
 terror of the nuns in charge of the classes! Trem¬ 
 bling with fear, they raised the blackbe&rd, expect¬ 
 ing to find the children killed, or, at least, seriously 
 injured ; when, to their intense joy, instead of the 
 sight they dreaded, they beheld rosy, laughing faces. 
 The little ones were unhurt, and not even frightened 
 under their heavy wooden cover, thanks to Our 
 Lord, Our Lady and Bt. Joseph. The children had 
 been each day taught to recommend themselves to 
 their care and protection before two statues placed 
 on pedestals in the schoolroom. 
 
 The fact just related was of more consequence in 
 
et j:s*ph's help. 
 
 29 
 
 Germany than it would, perhaps, have been in our 
 country; as there, the enemies of the Church are 
 always endeavoring to deprive the Religious of the 
 education of youth, replacing them by seculars; 
 and they would have been sure to avail themselves 
 of such an accidental circumstance to form a pre« 
 text for the expulsion of the nuns from this school. 
 
 8. St. Joseph’s Paschal Candle. 
 
 We learned the following from the “ Lilies of 
 Mary,” in Naples : 
 
 A good country priest who had a great devotion 
 o St. Joseph found himself one day in trouble. 
 
 The feast of the Ressurrecthn of Our Lord was 
 at hand, and he had neither a Paschal candle pre¬ 
 pared, nor the money to buy one. His three hun¬ 
 dred parishioners were so poor, that all, more or 
 less, had difficulty to support themselves, and took 
 with thanks the smsdl alms which their pastor, 
 nearly as poor as themselves, was able to offer them. 
 A collection in church, therefore, would have been 
 useless, for how could these poor people give what 
 they did not poEsees? 
 
 Some lime previously, this good priest had formed 
 the grand idea of rebuilding, without any assistance 
 trom his flock, the parish church, which was falling 
 into ruins, and, like Solomon, to erect a temple to 
 the Most High. 
 
 His determination being taken, he girded his pil¬ 
 grim’s dress, and knocked first at the d r or 
 cf the bishop. A lovingly-given blessing, 
 and, as a foundation-stone, a sum of 1,000 lire 
 
30 
 
 st. Joseph's help. 
 
 (about £40), were the result of this visit. A better 
 beginning could not have been expected. For three 
 years did this zealous priest continue his laborious 
 wanderings; often over muddy roads or slippery 
 ice, through rain and frost, or exposed to the heat 
 of the burning sun, or, what c^mes still harder to 
 human nature, to humiliations and contradictions 
 of all kinds. After enduring all these trials with 
 the greatest patience and cheerfulness, he at length 
 returned to his flock, and one Sunday morning an¬ 
 nounced to them the joyful news that their church 
 was about to be rebuilt. 
 
 Quickly he summoned architects, builders, brick¬ 
 layers, masons, carpenters, painters—even sculp¬ 
 tors—and, after unheard-of labors and numberless 
 sacrifices, the courageous priest at last saw his 
 dream realized. The Bishop came to consecrate 
 the new House of God, and the Holy Sacrifice was 
 offered in it. 
 
 But the unwearied zeal of the good pastor created 
 for him new duties and fresh toils. He now longed 
 to gild the altar, to silver the candlesticks, to pro¬ 
 cure a new pulpit, to erect a confessional, etc. 
 Thus the little money which remained over from 
 the building was soon expended; and so it came 
 to pass that, at the time our story begun, Easter 
 was fast approaching, his purse was completely 
 empty, and there was no Paschal candle! 
 
 What could be done? 
 
 Should he buy one on credit? 
 
 No, decidedly not! It was one of his inviolable 
 principles never to go into debt. 
 
 So, instead, he began a Novena to St. Joseph, 
 
ET. Joseph's help. 
 
 31 
 
 under whose patronage the church was erected 
 for ought not that glorious Patriarch to aid those 
 who, following his example, provide a lodging for 
 that Fame Lord Jesus Christ, Who could find no 
 shelter in the city of Bethlehem? 
 
 This Novena ended on the 25th of March, which 
 this year fell on Maundy Thursday. This true 
 imitator of the poverty of Christ had now nothing 
 more to sell. He had parted with his watch; with 
 his silver teapot, which had been given to him by 
 his mothfr on the day of hig installation as parish 
 priest; with his armchair, the gift of one of his 
 great friends at the seminary; with the cushion, 
 which his sister had so beautifully embroidered for 
 him; all-all were gone with the exception of an 
 ivory crucifix, the legacy of a dearly-beloved friend; 
 all had been turned into money for the completion 
 of his great work. 
 
 On the morning of Maundy Thursday, a strange 
 idea presented itself to his mind. There was 
 living in a castle, about fifteen miles distant, a 
 Jew, a retired banker, who was immensely rich. 
 The good priest had never before asked an alms of 
 him, because it was well known that he never gave 
 alms to a Christian, much less to a priest. 
 
 One moment ihe holy man hesitated ; it was not 
 at all agreeable to go to the Jew, but he considered 
 this thought as an inspiration of St. Joseph; and, 
 posse sing the simplicity of a child, to receive an 
 inspiration from God and to obey it, was like one 
 action for him. 
 
 After Holy Mas?, he set out, saying the Rosary 
 on his way. Now the “Kleine Pastor,” as his 
 
32 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 parishioners fondly called him, besides being a 
 very spiritual theologian and a saint, was also a 
 poet. 
 
 Like St. F/ancis of Assisi, he delighted to enter¬ 
 tain himself with the beasts and the birds, and as 
 he went along the road, the wonders of creation 
 and the power and wisdom of their Creator, evinced 
 even in the little wayside flo wers, were to his pure 
 mind rich and sublime lessons. 
 
 When he entered the castle court he met the car¬ 
 riage of the master, who cast a cold and con¬ 
 temptuous glance at his uninvited guest, who even 
 dared to walk into his private grounds. 
 
 The step of the priest became very slow!— 
 
 The banker had just sat down to his dinner, 
 when a servant entered, asking whether he would 
 receive that poor man whom he had just before 
 met. 
 
 “ Give him a piece of bread,” replied the master, 
 u and tell him to leave me in peace.” 
 
 “ But he insists on seeing you, and speaking with 
 you,” continued tha servant. 
 
 “ Then he may wait.” 
 
 The good priest, not daring to sit down on one 
 of the velvet chairs in the saloon, and seeing a little 
 bench in the court, humbly retired to it, fervently 
 beseeching St. Joseph to help him. After dinner 
 the lord of the castle lighted a cigar, and again his 
 servant, who felt pity for the poor little man who 
 looked so tired, and all covered with dust, ventured 
 to remind his master. 
 
 “ Will your lordship now receive the poor 
 man?” 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 “"What!—is he still here? then let him come in, 
 but tell him to be short.” 
 
 The priest saluted the Jew reverentially end 
 made known his request. The banker broke out 
 into a short laugh, which seemed a bad presage. 
 Was it not, indeed, strange, almost impertinent, to 
 ask from him, a Jew, the means of celebrating the 
 Insurrection of Him Whom his ancestors had 
 cruc fied? 
 
 But how was it possible to be angry with this 
 beggar, who was so gentle and humble ? 
 
 Herr N-, who always liked to find out the 
 
 motives of people’s actions, was surprised that this 
 priest s'emed quite unconscious of having come to 
 just the wrong person. 
 
 He already began to take the mistake more 
 favorably. On the other hand, he thought it a good 
 opportunity to learn what kind of a man a priest 
 might be. 
 
 “ We will see,” he said, assuming again his rough 
 and severe deportmont; 6 ‘ sit down, sir, and tell me 
 your story.” 
 
 The humble priest, who was not accustomed to 
 speak about himself, felt for a moment very per¬ 
 plexed. Nevertheless he obeyed, and with winning 
 sweetness described his dear home, in wh ch he had 
 been the eldest of ten children. Then he spoke of 
 the seminary, his second heme, which was in a 
 manner hke the vestibule of the Sanctuary; and he 
 became wonderfully animated at the remembrance 
 of those happy times. Then he described his 
 parish, and the church as it was now (by whose 
 meiits it had become so, he did not tell)—and spoke 
 
 i 
 
34 
 
 ET. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 about the piety o! his parishioners, and of the peace 
 cf the solitude of his country life, which h© dedi¬ 
 cated to Gad and His creatures. 
 
 What touching eloquence did not God and h*s 
 good Angel place on his lips as he portrayed all 
 these things! 
 
 Scarcely had he finished when Herr N-arose, 
 
 and with reverence and emotion said: “ Sir, allow* 
 me to express to you my sympathy and admiration. 
 I do not know which of us two possesses the truth, 
 but I envy you. You are happy in a faith which 
 inspires such great sacrifices You shall have a 
 Paschal candle, Keverend Father, and from this 
 moment I give you an unlimited credit for your 
 church, for your poor, and for yourself. Consent 
 to make me your banker.” 
 
 u Kleine Pastor,” who left the castle in a carriage, 
 carried in his pocket a purse well filled with bank 
 notes. 
 
 Without doubt St. Joseph had interposed here, 
 and the whole neighborhood had much to say 
 about the splendid Paschal candle given by Herr 
 N-. 
 
 Every day the priest prays in church for his 
 generous benefactor, and every Sunday he visits 
 him—and it is fully bel eved by the parishioners 
 that St. Joseph will not stop half way in tbe work 
 he has begun, but will certainly lead this man, who 
 so willingly complied with his desires, to the true 
 faith. 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 v 
 
f — 
 
 35 
 
 £T. J_SEPH's HELP. 
 
 9. St. Joseph Lodges two Missioners. 
 
 The chronicles of the Franciscan Fathers relate 
 the following occurrence: 
 
 Father Jerome Vistoya, a Capuchin and Apostolic 
 Missioner, who was especially devoted to St. 
 Joseph, went with another Father of his Order to 
 Venice, whence by order of the Holy See he was 
 to embark for the island of Candia. 
 
 It was summer, and to avoid the intolerable heat 
 of the sun they travelled by night, and so it hap¬ 
 pened once that they lost their way. 
 
 After straying about for some time, exhausted 
 and hungry, they knelt down and invoked Jesus 
 Mary and Joseph for assistance. 4 
 
 When they had finished their prayer they saw in 
 the distance the glimmer of a lamp, and following 
 its light, they soon reached a little house which 
 they found inhabited by an old man, with his wife 
 and child, all of dignified and beautiful appearence. 
 
 They introduced themselves as travellers, who 
 had lost their way, and begging for shelter, were 
 received with the utmost kindness and hospitality. 
 
 When they awoke the next morning, after a 
 good night’s rest, they found themselves lying in a 
 meadow, and they saw not the slighest trace of the 
 cottage or its inmates. 
 
 Then these good Fathers doubted no longer 
 that they had been entertained by the Holy Family 
 itself, and thanked God gratefully for so excellent 
 a protection. 
 
 The learned Eckius, in his homilies on St 
 
36 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 Joseph, says: ‘ Let all who have to undertake 
 dangerous journeys, and travel through hostile 
 countries, recommend themselves to St Joseph for 
 his protecsion and security. 
 
 10. Origin op the Devotion to the Seven Joys 
 and Seven Dolors op St Joseph 
 
 One day, many, many years ago, there arose a 
 terrible storm at sea. Many ships were wrecked off 
 the coast of Flanders, and one of these was a large 
 passenger vessel, with three hundred people on 
 board. 
 
 Two Franciscan friars were among the number of 
 the ili-f&ted crew, and when the final crush came, 
 and the vessel went to pieces on the rocks, they re¬ 
 tained sufficient presence of mind to keep together, 
 and to clasp hold of a large plank ss they fell into 
 the water. Still, imagine their anguish, exposed 
 on a cold night to all the fury of a raging sea, with 
 nothing but a plank to rely on for safety. They 
 felt their strength becoming exhausted, and they 
 did not even know where they were, or how far 
 from land. 
 
 In this extremity they devoutly invoked St. 
 Joseph; and, presently, with feelings of wonder 
 and joy, the figure of a graceful-looking young 
 man appeared suddenly standing beside them. 
 
 He saluted them most courteously, consoled 
 them, and by his very presence seemed to impart 
 to their chilled and stiffened limbs fresh vigor 
 and strength. He did more, for he steered their 
 frail plank so dexirausly that it might have been a 
 
£T. Joseph's help. 
 
 37 
 
 boat, and conducted them eafely to the nearest 
 point of land. 
 
 As soon as the good friars had safely landed they 
 fell on their knees, and raising their hands and 
 hearts to Almighty God, thaiked Him for their 
 wonderful preservation. Then they turned to their 
 kind protector, and, after the first fervent words of 
 gratitude, one of them humbly said: 
 
 “ Pray, good sir, who may you be, who have re¬ 
 ceived such high gifts from God ? ” 
 
 And the young man, answering, said: 
 
 “ I am Joseph, whom you called upon.” 
 
 On hearing these words, the souls of these de¬ 
 voted children of the blessed Francis overflowed 
 with spiritual joy. They begged of their deliverer 
 to tarry still a little longer with them, and he gra¬ 
 ciously consented, conversing with them con¬ 
 cerning the sorrows and joys which he had 
 experienced while living in this world; and 
 he revealed to them that he would look 
 down with pleasure from heaven on all who 
 should venerate them, and piously meditate on 
 them. 
 
 After he had thus spoken he disappeared. 
 
 This was the origin of the devotion to the seven 
 joys and seven dolors of St. Joseph, now so widely 
 spread throughout the Church, and enriched with 
 so many indulgences. 
 
 11. Safety in Time of Danger. 
 
 St. Theresa was travelling with some of her 
 religious to make one of her foundations, which 
 she had promised to dedicate to St. Joseph. After 
 
38 
 
 et. Joseph's help. 
 
 a time, the coachman, unused to the country, lost 
 his way and wandered from the road, if indeed the 
 ill-defined track could be called a read ; the horses 
 became restive, and kept plunging about first on 
 one side and then on another. 
 
 Suddenly St. Theresa saw herself and her 
 daughters on the very brink of a dangerous preci¬ 
 pice. 
 
 “My dear children,” she cried out, “ we are lost 
 if our good father St. Jcseph does not come to our 
 rescue. Let us call on him for help. 
 
 They had scarcely begun their prayer when they 
 heard a loud voice from the depths of the abyss 
 calling out: 
 
 “ Stop! stop! ” 
 
 At these words the horses immediately became 
 quiet, and the same voice directed them concerning 
 the path they were to take, hazardous enough cer¬ 
 tainly in appearance, yet they followed it with en¬ 
 tire confidence, and soon all fear of danger was over. 
 
 The coachman and the whole company looked in 
 vain to find the man who had rendered them sach 
 an important service. But they could not discover 
 the slightest trace of him. 
 
 The Saint at first said nothing; her supernatural 
 instinct had enabled her at once to grasp the real 
 truth, and her heart was too full of gratitude for 
 words; but at last, in reply to her companion’s ex- 
 pression of regret that they could not thank their 
 benefactor, she replied: 
 
 “ You seek in vain, my daughters, for the man 
 who saved us. It was no other than our dearest 
 father, St. Joseph.” 
 
ST. JOSEPHS HELP, 
 
 39 
 
 12. Under the Protection of St. Joseph. 
 
 In the yeir 1631 a new and immense crater 
 opened in Mount Vesuvius. Such a torrent of 
 flames and ashes burst out that the glowing red 
 lava, like a flood, covered the whole neighborhood, 
 especially a village called N- 
 
 In this village lived a poor woman named Camilla, 
 a most devout client of St. Joseph, and with her 
 lived her little nephew, a child of about five years 
 of age, named Joseph, out of devotion to her be¬ 
 loved patron. 
 
 When Camilla saw the streams of lava creeping 
 down the sides of the mountain like fiery serpents, 
 and gradually encircling all they met in their 
 deadly embrace, she caught up the little boy in 
 her arms and endeavored to escape. 
 
 But alas! she had delayed too long. Fear 
 seemed to lend her wings, and she flew rather than 
 ran; but her cruel enemy pursued her ever faster 
 and faster, gaining each moment on her. She did 
 not see which way she was going; her one thought 
 was to escape from the cer ain death following her 
 so closely. Suddenly she found her path obstructed, 
 she could go no further. Ah! poor woman, what 
 have jou done? In trying to escape one danger 
 you have encountered another nearly as formidable. 
 
 In her heedless, aimless flight she had di ected 
 her steps towards a high rock, which now rose 
 perpendicularly before her, stretching away into 
 the sea, so that it seemed impossible for her either 
 to go backwards or forwards without losing he? 
 
40 
 
 et. Joseph's help. 
 
 life. Wbat could she do ? If she turned back the 
 flames would consume her; if she advanced it wou d 
 be only to find certain death in the angry waves. 
 
 In this critical situation Camilla bethougut her¬ 
 self of her holy patron. 
 
 “ Great saint,” she called out, “ I recommend to 
 thee thy li;tle Joseph; thou must gave him.” 
 
 Having said these words she laid the child down 
 on tie rock, and herself ran down towards the see. 
 But instead of falling into the water, as it seemed 
 she must naturally have done, she alighted on the 
 sands, and did tot sutler the slightest harm. 
 
 Herself saved, her next thought was for the little 
 one, whom she had been forced to desert. The 
 fate cf the child, left to the mercy of the fire, 
 grieved her exceedingly. In her sorrow and de¬ 
 spair, she ran up and down, seeking him vainly 
 everywhere. 
 
 All at once she heard his clear, childish voice 
 calling her by name, and, better still, here he comes 
 bounding to meet her, full of life and joy. 
 
 “My sweetest one,” cried Camilla, “ who has 
 save! thee from the fiery rain? who has rescued 
 thee from being burned to death?” 
 
 “St. Joseph has done it, to whom thou didst in¬ 
 trust mereplied the child. “ He took my ha d 
 and led me to that place where you found me.” 
 
 And instantly did this pious woman fall on her 
 knees, most fervently thanking God and Sfc Joseph 
 for tie two miracles worked that day in her behalf 
 
 O ye mothers, whose children often run into 
 dangers a thousand times more perilous; redouble 
 jo if prayers and jour corfidence in our Blessed 
 
ST. JOSEPHS HiLP. 
 
 41 
 
 Lady and St Joseph; redouble your care and your 
 fervor in order to save the souls cf your children. 
 
 13. Protection op St. Joseph during a Pestilence. 
 
 A terrible pestilence raged in Lyons during the 
 year 1638. 
 
 These scourges, as we well know, are often sent 
 by God in His mercy to be a means of turning the 
 hearts of His creatures to Himself, and in this a f - 
 fliction many were inspired to place themselves un¬ 
 der the especial patronage of the glorious Foster- 
 Father of Christ. 
 
 Their devotion was rewarded with the most signal 
 graces, of which the following story is an instance. 
 
 A certain advocate was obliged to go t} Lyons 
 on business, and, as it seems to us, rather rashly, 
 or perhaps forced by necessity, took with him his 
 little son, who was only seven years old. 
 
 One day, being obliged to go out a’one, on his 
 return to the house, to his.terror he found his child 
 se r zed with the fatal malady and already in the ago¬ 
 nies of death. 
 
 The unfortunate father, almost beside himself 
 with grief, and despairing of human aid, turned 
 himself to God, and besought Him, through the 
 intercession of St. Joseph, to spare his son ; making 
 a promise at the same time to make a novena in 
 honor cf the saint, to erect a vot ve tablet near his 
 altar, and to offer a certain number of candles to 
 burn before his statue. 
 
 Meanwhile the child kept each moment growing 
 worse, and the doctor, declaring that it was impos¬ 
 sible fcr him to live two hours longer, fina’Jy or- 
 
42 
 
 6T. Joseph's help. 
 
 dered him to be carried to the hospital, that the in¬ 
 fection might not be increased. 
 
 The poor father followed the sad procession as 
 mournfully as if he even now saw before him the 
 little coffin of his son, yet his confidence in St. 
 Joseph remained unshaken. And now listen how 
 his faith was rewarded. 
 
 Hardiy had they arrived at the hospital when the 
 child suddenly sprang from his bed, entirely re¬ 
 stored to health, his rounded, rosy features full of 
 animation, and bearing no trace of his narrow 
 escape from death. 
 
 Need we add that the grateful advocate hastened 
 joyfully to fulfil his promises, and to glorify his 
 heavenly Protector. 
 
 14. Protection of St. Joseph during a Conta¬ 
 gious Disease. 
 
 Not many years ago, the following wonderful in¬ 
 stance of an answer granted to prayer made a great 
 sensation in the neighborhood of Chambery. 
 
 It was the summer of 1861, and both the town 
 itself and the whole country around were in a state 
 of excitement and alarm, on account of a contagious 
 disease which had appeared suddenly among the 
 population, and the number of the victims con¬ 
 tinued to increase day by day. 
 
 The fervent parish priest of the Church of 
 St. Pierre, seeing the danger and anguish of his 
 lock, summoned them to the church, and exhorted 
 them earnestly to place themselves under the 
 special care of Mary and Joseph. He then or- 
 gaiiz d a devo ion frr tho rext seven Sundays in 
 
i T. JOSFPHS HELP. 
 
 43 
 
 hoEor of St. Joseph. On these occasions the church 
 was filled to overflowing, and numberless candles 
 were presented at the altar of the saint. 
 
 The compassionate Heart of our Divine Lord 
 showed itself merciful to these humble supplications 
 offered to Him through the intervention of His 
 Immaculate Mother and chaste Foster-Fa her. For 
 although the disease raged in the other parts of the 
 town for full three months longer, not one more 
 fatal case occurred in this parish; and while the 
 bells of the neighboring churches were continually 
 tolling the sad announcement of death, the bell of 
 St. Pierre was only heard from time to time on 
 festival days or sounding the glad news of some 
 baptism or marriage. 
 
 Devotion to St. Joseph, which already had taken 
 deep root in the hearts of these faithful Catholics, 
 became more lively, and in all their affairs they had 
 recourse with unbounded confidence to the inter¬ 
 cession of Mary and Joseph. 
 
 15. St. Joseph All-Powekful with God. 
 
 The 81h of September, 1860, was a sad day in 
 the home of a respectable family living in a certain 
 town in Poland, for it saw the husband and father 
 of the family deprived, by political intrigues, of a 
 situation which he had filled well and conscien¬ 
 tiously. 
 
 It is true it was not a very lucrative employment; 
 yet it was their only means of support, besides en¬ 
 abling the parents to give their children a good 
 education. Now, all was gone, and they knew not 
 
44 
 
 et. Joseph's help. 
 
 how to procure the most necessary means of sub» 
 sis fence. 
 
 The anxiety and sudden change from a life of 
 comparative comfort to one of want and misery 
 
 were too much for poor Madams N-, and she 
 
 fell into a kind of nervous excitement, accompanied 
 with fever and great prostration. 
 
 Her friends endeavored to calm h?r and raise her 
 spirits, but all in vain, as she easily perceived that 
 their kind words were only spoken from charity, 
 and to give her a confidence which they did not 
 themselves share. 
 
 She grew daily worse, until her father, who was 
 very devout to St. Joseph, and who was much 
 grieved to see her in this state, became inspired as 
 to the right method of offering her relief. 
 
 Enteiing her room one morning quite cheerfully, 
 he said to her : 
 
 “Well, my dear daughter, what are you doing? 
 are you going to allow yourself to become quite a 
 prey to these 4 blue devils!’ ” 
 
 “ But, my father,” she replied, “ how can you 
 joke at our misery?” 
 
 44 Yes, my daughter,” returned the old man, 44 I 
 am not troubled about it, for I have put it into the 
 hands of St. Joseph, and I am sure his loving heart 
 will never forsake us. I assure you that I have 
 never asked any favor of him which I did not 
 receive? therefore, courage, my child, do you a^so 
 ask him for help, and your prayer will be heard.” 
 
 The afflicted daughter followed the advice of her 
 father, and invoked the great Saint, yet more by 
 her tears than by her words. And who would 
 
st. Joseph's help. 
 
 45 
 
 believe it ? Scarcaly had she finished her short but 
 devout prayer when she felt interiorly so calm and 
 peaceful it was like passing aga’n from death to 
 life. In less than two hours she had regained h?r 
 former strength, and with renewed hedth and 
 vigor was able to resume her ordinary household 
 duties. 
 
 Those who had seen her, only a few hours before, 
 wasting away on a sick bed, dull and miserable, 
 could hardly believe their eyes; and St. Joseph, 
 apparently not satisfied even wi'h this, took care 
 to send her husband some good friends who as¬ 
 sisted them in their poverty. 
 
 A long time after, Madame N- rece’ved a 
 
 letter from her brothe", who was also now ia great 
 distress. His wife had fallen dangerously il», and 
 her life was despaired of by the doctor. Theiefore, 
 her husband wrote fo beg his sister to come aed 
 a*s : st her, and also to be a comfort to him when 
 the sad moment should come of separation frcm 
 his much-beloved wife. 
 
 Madame N-at once set off on her journey; 
 
 and on arriving at her destination, was met by her 
 brother, whom she found full of sorrow, and quite 
 despairing of the recovery of his wife. 
 
 “Have you invoked St. Joseph ?” asked Madame 
 N-. 
 
 “Yes,” he replied, “ ever since my wife was de¬ 
 clared to be in danger, I have burned a lamp before 
 h s s'atue, and I have often invoked him; but I 
 do not think myself worthy of so great a favor.” 
 
 Let us now listen to Madame N-’s own narra¬ 
 
 tion. 
 
46 
 
 st. jobeph’s help. 
 
 “When the evening came, I returned to take a 
 little rest, as I was fatigued with my long journey, 
 and depressed by the sight of my brother’s gr^at 
 affliction ; but before we parted, we once again, fer¬ 
 vently and with confidence, besought St. Joseph on 
 behalf of the poor sufferer. 
 
 “ I had gone to sleep, when suddenly I was awak¬ 
 ened by hearing my name called. I rose hastily, 
 and prepared to return to the sick room, thinking 
 that the last moment had arrived, and that I was 
 wanted. But, no! it was, instead, the moment of 
 help from St. Joseph. A crisis of the disease had 
 indeed come, but contrary to all hope, was favor 
 able. She, whom we had thought dying, now slept 
 quietly and soundly, and when the doctor cime the 
 nest morning to visit his patient, to his intense as¬ 
 tonishment, he found her so far recovered that he 
 declared it could only have happened through a 
 miracle.” 
 
 In a very short time her health was completely 
 restored, so that no trace of her former illness re¬ 
 mained. 
 
 16. Speedy Help. 
 
 A very pious but pmr woman was in distress for 
 five shillings to complete the payment of her rent, 
 which was due on Christmas Day. The sum was 
 small; but still she knew not how to procure it. In 
 her distress she applied to St. Joseph, and placed 
 her difficulty in his hands. 
 
 After doing this, she left her house on some 
 business. As she returned, a letter was handed to 
 her; the handwriting was quite unknown to her $ 
 
BT. J. SJtPH 8 HELP. 
 
 47 
 
 but, behold, inside there were five shillings—just 
 the sum she needed. She had not the slightest 
 idea from whom it came. 
 
 17. A WONDERFUL CURE. 
 
 A poor widow, named Wilhelmina Rielz, who 
 lived at Newbau, in Vienna, fell dangerously ill of 
 a most painful disease ; and, being confined to her 
 bed, was unable to work io support her four little 
 children. 
 
 By the influence of some charitable persons, she 
 was taken to the hospital of the Franciscan nuns, 
 in Hartsmann street, Vienna, where the doctors de¬ 
 cided she must undergo a very serious and painful 
 operation, as a large and deep ulcer had formed on 
 the head, behind the ear. The incisions made were 
 very deep, and the daily dressing of the wound was 
 so painful that the poor woman often fainted under 
 it. At last, the physician declared that disease had 
 affected the bone, and gave very little hope of cure, 
 saying that her sufferings would last a long time. 
 
 In this sad situation, rendered even more painful 
 to the poor mother by the anxiety concerning her 
 little children, for whose subsistence she was unable 
 to labor, she turned herself with great fervor to her 
 ho’y patron, S h . Joseph, to whom she had ever been 
 most devoted, and she desired to receive the Sacra¬ 
 ments with this intention. After receiving Holy 
 Communion on the folowing morning, she fell, as 
 it were, into a kind of slumber ; it seemed to her as 
 if the great Patriarch appeared standing at her bed* 
 side, and her soul became filled with consolation 
 and confidence. 
 
48 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 Wilhelmina knew not whether it wai a dream or 
 a reaiity; but she felt so great a peace and such 
 full certainty that she should recover, that she could 
 not doubt that it was a great grace received from 
 God, and, indeed, the wound, which was three inches 
 deep, in three days was perfectly healed. 
 
 The physician was amazed, and declared he had 
 never in all his practice experienced such a cure 
 before. 
 
 The good Sisters and invalids in the hospital 
 were not less surprised at this visible supernatural 
 cure, and all united in thanking God for His good¬ 
 ness. 
 
 In a few days, after the physician had once 
 more carefully examined the wound, the happy 
 widow left the hospital (on the 16th of March, 
 1885) and sines then has continued well and in 
 good health. Not even a scar of the fearful ulcer 
 and wound remain. 
 
 This is again a proof of St. Joseph’s readiness to 
 assist the faithful when they devoutly call on him 
 for help. 
 
 To everyone we say with confidence: “ Go to Jo¬ 
 seph.” The great saint will grant each humble peti, 
 tion if it is for the honor of God and the good of the 
 suppliant. 
 
 18. Shelter at Midnight. 
 
 Last year, whilst I was at Minden, in Westphalia 
 writes “P. D.,” of Paderborn, Sister Michael, the 
 Superioress of the Franciscans (a branch from 
 Aix-la-Chapelle), related to me the following: 
 
 Two of their Sisters, who were in one of their 
 
ST. JOSEPH'S HELP. 
 
 49 
 
 convents in North America, were sent to a distant 
 town, where the bishop of the diocese resided, and 
 where he wished to make a foundation. 
 
 They had to travel a day and a half and one 
 night, so that they reached the place just at mid¬ 
 night. They were greatly distressed at arriving at 
 so inconvenient an hour—strangers in a strarge 
 place, they knew not what to do. Thus they 
 thought to themselves, as the train brought them 
 nearer and nearer to their destination. Then one 
 of them, turning to the other, said: 
 
 “ I can think of nothing better than to recom¬ 
 mend ourselves to the care and protection of St. 
 Joseph.” 
 
 This they did at once, invoking most fervently and 
 earnestly the great Patriarch’s help and assistance. 
 
 It was midnight; the train stopped at a large 
 station. The Sisters got out and stood bewildered 
 and helpless, uncertain what to do. But they had 
 not to wait long, for a coachman approaching them 
 civilly, asked them to get into the carriage which 
 was waiting for them ; when they questioned him, 
 With astonishment, as to what cr whose carrigge 
 was waiting, he mid that the bishop had sent him 
 to meet them, and to let them know rooms were 
 already prepared for them. And so it was they 
 ound all arranged as if they had been expected 
 ^hat night. 
 
 The next morning, when the Sisters met the 
 bishop, they explained to him their anxiety and 
 perplexity at the station, and thanked him for his 
 kindness in sending the carriage, and for his hos¬ 
 pitality. 
 
60 
 
 bt. Joseph's help. 
 
 Bat the bishop wss amazed j for he knew nothing 
 whatever about it, nor had he given any orders con¬ 
 cerning the nuns. 
 
 Who, then, could have done it? Who sent that 
 carriage? May we not believe it was St. Joseph, 
 whom they had so trustingly invoked ? 
 
 19. Protection jn Danger from Fire. 
 
 “ On the 10th of December, 1879, a fire broke 
 out in our village in the house of a Jew. The 
 cause was unknown, but as the house was thatched, 
 the fire spread quickly, and before help could be 
 obtained the whole roof was one mass of flames. 
 
 “ The fire was very near to my presbytery ; at 
 the first a'arm I awoke, and, seeing the danger, 
 prostrated before my oratory and besought the pro¬ 
 tection of God, through the intercession of our 
 great patron St. Jcseph. My prayer was not in 
 vain; very Boon the hand of God became visible, 
 for although the burning house was entirely in 
 flames before help anived, and although the next 
 houee, which wa^ only four yards distant, was also 
 thatched with s f raw, the fire rema ned limited to 
 the first hcu e only, and a wind rising just at the 
 t me drove the flames in a direction where there 
 were no buildings. 
 
 “ The same night I was enlightened by Gcd to 
 understand better the wonderful effects of the in¬ 
 tercession of the f aints. As soon as the danger 
 was over I went back to bed, fell asleep, and dreamed 
 that I was hastening again to the scene of the fire, 
 desirous of doing all in my power to extinguish the 
 flames. As I drew near to the spot, I met a pro- 
 
t T. JJSEPH3 HELP. 
 
 51 
 
 cession cf girla dressed in whPe, who carried the 
 s f a ue of St. Anthony of Padua. Close behind 
 this procession followed ano’her, bearing statues of 
 our Bussed Lady and S?. Joseph, and carrying 
 lighted candles in their hands. They all went for¬ 
 ward until they came close to the fire, when they * 
 put down their statues on the ground, knelt down 
 t nd prayed. 
 
 “ The flames appeared obstinate, they came for¬ 
 ward, and even licked round about the statu© of St 
 Anthony, but they could not enkindle it, and gradu- 
 a.ly seemed to be becoming extinguished. Just at 
 this moment the ringing of the bells awoke me, and 
 so my dream ended. 
 
 “Two years ago I had another experience of a 
 fire suddenly extinguished by the intercession of 
 St. Joseph. 
 
 “We have a Confraternity of S L . Joseph estab¬ 
 lished in this parish, which is continually increasing 
 in numbers, as it is a belief among my parishioners 
 that no one who joins it will die without the g aca 
 of the last Sacraments.” 
 
 20. St. Joseph Saves a Child from Death by Fire. 
 
 In affliction, tribulation, danger, temptation, 
 family troubles—indeed, in ©very want both 
 spiritual and temporal—St. Joseph has always and 
 everywhere been a protector. 
 
 Now listen how wonderfully a child in the Tyrol 
 escaped being burned to death. It happened thus: 
 
 Fire had broken out in a cer aiu house, and 
 almost before the inhabitants could be roused, the 
 whole bu Idirg was enveloped in flames. 
 
52 
 
 6T. Joseph's help. 
 
 la the terror and confusion which ensued, it 
 happened that a woman had got separated from her 
 child, and dragged out almost before she knew 
 where she was. When she recognized that she was 
 safe, and her little one left behind in peril, the 
 anguish of the poor mother was terrible to behold. 
 She threw herself on her knees, and entreated the 
 bystanders to save her child. But although all 
 shared her sorrow, it was impossible to enter amidst 
 the raging flames. 
 
 Then the unhappy woman, seeing that all human 
 aid failed h;r, besought heavenly succor. Busing 
 her eyes and hands to heaven, she invoked St. 
 Joseph, sajing: 
 
 “ Hail, Joseph, to thee I recommend my Joseph, 
 my only child V ’ 
 
 And miraculously the Are seemed to divide on 
 either side of the little room where lay the cradle 
 of the sleeping infant, and the mother’s heart was 
 rejoiced once again, by clasping in her arms the 
 treasure she feared that she had lost. Thanks to 
 St. Joseph. 
 
 21. Deliverance from Robbers. 
 
 Some years ago the whole country near —-- 
 
 was made unsafe by a notorious highwayman. One 
 day he attacked a burgomaster on his way from 
 his receiving-office, and having taken from him a 
 large sum of money, left him lying insensible on 
 the road. 
 
 Some people passing soon afterwards found 
 him still alive, and when he somewhat recovered, 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 53 
 
 he was able to give an exact description of 
 the bandit, which was inserted in the local news¬ 
 papers. 
 
 Among the many who read this paragraph 
 was a certain poor young girl, who on the very 
 next day was obliged on account of some 
 needlework to.walk a long way to the house of the 
 head-forester of the district. In vain she attempted 
 to find some escort or protection—no one seemed 
 to be going that direction; so she had to set out 
 alone, trusting in God’s assistance, and according to 
 her custom, saying her Rosary as she went. Her 
 road led her directly through the forest, where the 
 brigand was known to lie concealed: aid often did 
 the girl turn her eyes in the direction where she 
 knew stood the Church of-, containing a beau¬ 
 
 tiful chapel dedicated to St. Joseph, as if to seek 
 from him the protection she needed. 
 
 She had already advanced about half-way through 
 the forest; and she was intending to rest for a few 
 minutes on a little bench placed near the roadside 
 for travellers, and which commanded an opening 
 through the trees and a lovely view of the St. -— 
 Lake, with its blue waters glistening and dancing 
 in the morning sunshine. Suddenly she became 
 paralyzed with terror, for she saw a man emerge 
 from behind a tree, and recognized in him, from the 
 description which she had read, the very person she 
 ftared to meet. They met face to face; he mea¬ 
 sured her with cruel, greedy looks, and seemed to 
 enjoy her evident agony of fear. 
 
 Help seemed impossible in such a lonely spot and 
 at such an early hour. 
 
54 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 “Hail, Joseph, is there no hope of deliverance 
 for me ?” 
 
 This was all she could articulate with her trem¬ 
 bling lips. But, oh, wonder! at this very moment 
 the voices of two youths were heard, and she saw 
 them coming along talking gaily together. 
 
 As they passed the maiden, they saluted her 
 courteously, but passed on quickly without stopping. 
 She, on her part, followed them instantly, a ad the 
 robber came on, but more slowly, not daring to 
 attack her in such company. After some time they 
 came to an open space, where several men were at 
 work felling trees. Then the highwayman in his 
 turn, being afraid, slunk back into the depths of 
 the forest and was seen no more. 
 
 The two youths seemed suddenly to disappear j 
 then the men who were working could find no traea 
 of them, and, notwithstanding many eager inquiries 
 from the girl, both at the f@rester’s house, and in 
 all the neighborhood, no one could tell her who 
 they were, or had even seen them. She described 
 them as being both dressed alike, with such sweet 
 and pleasant faces as she had never seen before. 
 
 The village girl never relates this story without 
 many grateful tears for the kind protection sent her 
 by her beloved St. Joseph. 
 
 22. An Engineer. 
 
 From the Ardennes, an engineer sends us an ac. 
 count of his escape from a sudden death. 
 
 He was engaged in some difficult work, and every 
 day it was his custom to visit a chapel of the glo 
 rious Patriarch, to beg of him protection and 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 55 
 
 safety for soul and body, and, also, on all occasions 
 he openly professed himself a elient of St. Joseph, 
 
 The saint richly rewarded his lidelity; for one 
 night, just as he had entered on his duties, and was 
 mounting up on the engine, the steam boiler burst; 
 six men were killed, and others more or lees se¬ 
 verely wounded, while he, who might have expected 
 instant death, was preserved unhurt. 
 
 In thanksgiving for this signal deliverance, he at 
 once had the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered in 
 honor of St. Joseph, and himself received Holy 
 Communion seven times. 
 
 23. A Small Gift towards Building a Church in 
 H ;nor of St. Joseph Recompensed a Hundred¬ 
 fold. 
 
 A young man once came to the parish-priest of a 
 town in Westphalia, who was building a church in 
 honor of St. Joseph, and offered him a small contri¬ 
 bution. In the course of the conversation which 
 ensued, the priest learned that the young man was 
 in great pecuniary difficulties, and that the small 
 sum he had just given for the church was the last 
 piece of money he possessed in the world. Yat he 
 had sacrificed it joyfully, trusting that the blessed 
 Foster Rather of Jesus would deliver him from his 
 trouble. Deeply moved by such firm faith and con¬ 
 fidence, the priest could hardly control his tears 
 sufficiently to thank him. 
 
 Some months passed away, and, fully engrossed in 
 his undertaking, the pastor of N-had nearly for¬ 
 
 gotten the occurrence, when one morning a letter ar¬ 
 rived, bearing the post-m^rk of a distant town in Ger- 
 
56 
 
 et. Joseph’s h*lp. 
 
 many, and directed in an unknown hand. As he opened 
 the envelope, several bank-notes of considerable 
 value fell out, and a letter from the same young 
 man, stating that he had been wonderfully rescued 
 from all his difficulties, and, therefore, sent the en¬ 
 closed money as a thanksgiving offering to St* 
 Joseph, begging the priest to use it for the adorn¬ 
 ment of his church. 
 
 24. Little Joseph de Malinokrobt. 
 
 It may please our readers, especially those who 
 are acquainted with Germany, to hear something of 
 a man highly esteemed in that country. 
 
 The account was sent to the German editor of 
 these stories by a friend. He writes as follows: 
 
 “Lately two Franciscan nuns from the mother- 
 house at Aix 3a-Chapelle were here to collect alms. 
 One of them, a Countess Stolberg, told us that 
 about a year ago they were sent to Berlin for the 
 same purpose.” 
 
 We will now let the Religious speak for herself: 
 
 “ At Berlin, Madame de Malinckrodt constituted 
 herself our especial hostess in the most generous, 
 self-sacrificing manner. She accompanied us every¬ 
 where, and rendered us the greatest service. 
 
 “ One day, late in the afternoon, she took us to 
 the house of H rr Boeig (engine manufacturer.) 
 We asked to see Madame Bosig, who soon appeared, 
 but received us coldly and indifferently, and ever 
 appeared, as I thought, somewhat annoyed. 
 
 “ While I was making my appeal, she was called 
 away, and asked us to await her return; but she 
 was so long absent, that I began to be quite un- 
 
BT. Joseph’s help* 
 
 57 
 
 comfortable that Madame Malinckrodt should be so 
 inconveniently detained; and, perhaps, even at 
 home, her husband might also be waiting for her. 
 Ia my distress, I said to myself, not thinking to be 
 overheard: 
 
 “ ‘ St. Joseph, please help us that we may re¬ 
 ceive something.’ 
 
 “But v my words reached the sharp ears of 
 Madame de Malic ckrodt’s little son, who was with 
 us (and who, as his name was Joseph, was taught 
 to have great devotion to his Pa ron Saint ) His 
 mother then said to him : 
 
 “ ‘ Joseph, say a little prayer to your Patron 
 Saint, that these good Sisters may receive some 
 money for their poor; tell him to make Madame 
 Borsig give them one hundred dollars.’ 
 
 “The little fellow looked all round the room for 
 a picture of St. Joseph, and not finding one he 
 contented himself with saying an k Our Father,’ 
 that his petition might be granted. 
 
 “Shortly afterwards Madame Borsig returned, 
 and at one presented me with one hundred dollars. 
 Then the child said innocently to the lady : 
 
 “ ‘ We all said a prayer that you might give us 
 something, and so you have done it.’ 
 
 “ When he returned home he repeated the story 
 to his father, and, indeed, we could not but con¬ 
 sider it remarkab e that Madame Borsig, who ap¬ 
 parently had taken very little interest in us, should 
 give us the largest sum of money which we re¬ 
 ceived from any one in Germany. 
 
 “May the dear little Jo eph always remain 
 worthy of his heavenly patron. 
 
58 
 
 £T. JOSEPH S HELP. 
 
 “ Some time previously he had said to his mother 
 one day, when he saw a nice cake on the table: 
 
 “ ‘ Mother, please give me a big slice of that cake 
 for the parish priest.’ 
 
 “ And when she asked 4 Why V he replied : 
 
 “ 4 Because he preached this morning about St. 
 Joseph.’ ” 
 
 25. A Tkue Story of the Franc >Prussian War. 
 
 On the 28fch of February, 1871, the Very Rev, 
 Canon Victor Pelletier, of the diocese of Orleans, at 
 the close of one of his Lenten discourses, an¬ 
 nounced to his audience that the month of St. 
 Joseph would begin on the following day. He 
 gave them some reasons to encourage them to 
 share in this devotion, and reminded them of the 
 decree, then lately published by Pius IX., raring 
 the feast of St. Joseph to a festival of the highest 
 rank for the universal Church, and then he related 
 to them the following occurrence. 
 
 On Sunday, the 14th of December, 1870, the 
 Prussians forced their way for the second and third 
 time into the little town of Patay, a few miles dis¬ 
 tant from Orleans. 
 
 The Zouaves offered an heroic resistance, but 
 were overpowered by numbers, and forced 
 to retire with great loss. Just as the French troops 
 were retreating, Madame L-, the wife of a mer¬ 
 
 chant in the town, who had the charge of her hus¬ 
 band’s business remembered that there was still a 
 large sum of money in the house. 
 
 Calhng for two or three of her comident.'al rer- 
 vants, they consulted together, and fi ally reso’vcd 
 
6$. J SitPH S HELP. 
 
 59 
 
 to conceal the money in a well c’ose to the hou e 
 There was no time to be lost, so at last they set ou , 
 the lady herself first descended into the well, and 
 the others followed her, each carrying a part of the 
 money. While they were still down below, they 
 heard a loud stamping overhead, then a rough 
 shout which terrified them ; but they whispered to 
 each other to keep quite quiet, and hoped that the 
 increasing darkness might favor their escape from 
 discovery. 
 
 But in vain! Almighty God did not intend to 
 preserve them in this way. A Prussian soldier had 
 forced his way into the house, and finding no one 
 within, had come out to search the garden. He 
 soon perceived the well uncovered, and felt sure 
 that the inhabitants were hidden there. He called 
 down several times in the darkness, for he could 
 not see to the bottom, and when he received no 
 answer he threatened to throw in combustibles and 
 set them on fire. The Prussian, as the French 
 well knew, was quite capable of carrying his de¬ 
 sign into execution, and poor Madame L-and 
 
 her servants were obliged to answer, and then to 
 trust themselves to the mercy of their enemy. 
 
 They clambered out again as best they could, 
 
 Madame L-courageously leading the way, and 
 
 carrying the bag which contained the greater part 
 of the money. The quick eye of the Prussian at 
 once noticed the bag. 
 
 “ Wbafc are you hiding there?” he demanded. 
 
 The poor lady thought it wiser to make her sacri¬ 
 fice without difficulty, eo, emptying the money on 
 the ground, sVe replied : 
 
60 
 
 8t. Joseph’s hel£. 
 
 “ Yon are the master, take what you like.” 
 
 “ I am a soldier, not a thief,” retorted the man. 
 ‘Put up your money, and come back quietly into the 
 house.” 
 
 Madame L -and her servants obeyed wi ? h 
 
 pleasure, for this declaration on the part of the foe 
 was quite unexpected. And, i deed, he seemed 
 more a friend than an enemy, for all the rest of that 
 night he remained as a sentinel outside the hou e> 
 thus preserving it from being plundered by any of 
 the other Prussian soldiers. 
 
 But how was this kindness and disinterestedness 
 to be explained ? Here is the answer. 
 
 Madame L-was a good Christian, and at the 
 
 first announcement of danger she had placed her¬ 
 self, her house and her possessions under the pro¬ 
 tection of St. Joseph, and he, as we have seen, did 
 not fail his client in the time of difficulty and dis¬ 
 tress. 
 
 26. St. Joseph Answers the Prayer of a Child. 
 
 The midnight hour had already passed, and all 
 around was quiet and still. But in one of the 
 poorest huts of a village in the south of Italy the 
 deep silence was broken by cries and sobs, which 
 came from the overloaded heart of a poor peasant 
 girl, Agnes, as she was called. 
 
 She v as kneeling by the bedside of her father, 
 who appeared to be in his agony. Only ha’f an 
 hour before the priest had given him all the last 
 Sacraments and b’essings of holy Church, to pre¬ 
 pare and strengthen him for his passage into an¬ 
 other world. And now he was struggling with 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 61 
 
 death. His weeping child supported him as best 
 she could in her arms. She had never known her 
 mother, who died when she was only an infant; and 
 he whom she was now losing had been father, 
 mother and all to her. Her tears fell fast over his 
 face and breast, but the dying man did not see or 
 feel them. 
 
 One kind woman from a neighboring cottage, 
 with that unfailing charity of the poor for each 
 other, which seems equally a characteristic of all 
 nations and countries, was passing the night in a 
 corner of the room, in ca«e she might be any use 
 or comfort to Agnes, and she spent her time in 
 telling her beads for the soul which seemed hovering 
 on the threshold of the other world. 
 
 Suddenly about daybreak the bells of the village 
 church began to ring. 
 
 “ What is that for ?” asked ignes. 
 
 “Do you not remember,” replied the woman, 
 “ that to-day is the feast of Sfc Joseph ?” 
 
 “O blessed St. Joseph!” cried the child, and fell 
 on her knees; “O dear Joseph, help! Thou 
 must help me! Save my father !” 
 
 And at the same moment she felt inspired with 
 such a great confidence in the powerful assistance 
 of St. Joseph that she firmly depended on his 
 help. Then she quickly rose, put her mouth to 
 the ear of her father and eaii to him : 
 
 “Father, you will not yet die; St. Joseph will 
 help you.” 
 
 And, strange to tell, the dying man slow’y recov¬ 
 ered his senses, opened his eyes, and gradually 
 became better and better. After a few days he was 
 
62 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 out cf all danger, although still weak and suffering, 
 for it pleased Almighty God only to restore his 
 health by degrees. 
 
 But hope in the intercession of St. Joseph ever 
 animated him, and on the day the bells rang again 
 to usher in the sweet month of Mary, among the 
 crowd of devout peasants who hastened to do hom¬ 
 age to the blessed Mother of God were Agnes and 
 her father. 
 
 And no more loving and grateful prayers ascended 
 that day before the throne of God than came from 
 these two simple hearts, once so sorrowful, now so 
 grateful and glad. 
 
 27. Two True Stories from Westphalia. 
 
 I. 
 
 This little anecdote may seem trilling to some 
 readers, but we have not hesitated to insert it, to 
 show that the same Divine Providence which clothes 
 the lilies of the field in beauty, not equalled by all 
 the glory of Solomon, will not despise the needs of 
 the poor when they cry for help; and that Christ 
 will take, if we may venture to use the expression, 
 extra delight in relieving their necessities, through 
 the medium cf Bis Foster-Father. 
 
 One summer, on account of the long continued 
 and heavy rains, the harvest was later than usual. 
 My husband, who was already advanced in yesrs, 
 sought in vain for some assistance, and at last be¬ 
 came quite discouraged. Lmg before, we had 
 dedicated our house and farm and all our posses¬ 
 sions to St. Joseph, and one day the words of St. 
 Teresa came into my mind, “ that she never asked 
 
ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 63 
 
 St Joseph anything without being heardto I 
 knelt down, and said to St Joseph with the great¬ 
 est confidence, and quite like a child : 
 
 “ Blessed Saint, you are the patron and father of 
 our family; do now your duty and procure us 
 help.” 
 
 Quite comforted by my prayer, I then rose, as 
 the answer seemed sure to me, and quite calmly 
 threw myse’f into the bosom of Divine Providence, 
 waiting for the moment of help to come, although I 
 could not imagine how God would answer me. 
 
 Two days later, a strong youth came to the 
 house and asked for something to eat; I gave it to 
 him, and asked if he understood field-work. He 
 answered in a vague manner, and continued his 
 meal. The nest day he proceeded on his journey 
 during a heavy shower, but scarcely had he been 
 absent from us for half an hour, before he felt an 
 interior voice which said to him again and again : 
 “Go back to those people.” This he himself has 
 told me since, and I need only add that we have 
 never had a better aid. 
 
 II. 
 
 A family well-known to me had been quite ruined 
 by nr sf or tune. 
 
 The poor people, already advanced in years, felt 
 themselves forsaken by God and man. The thought 
 that they were losing all their possessions, and be¬ 
 coming quite destitute, caused them the greatest 
 grief of heart. 
 
 In this their distress, they addressed themselves 
 to St. Joseph, and laid all their needs and tribula- 
 
64 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 tions before him, and especially they made many 
 novenas in his honor, that he might inspire them 
 what to do. 
 
 A friend one day recommended them to engag 
 some young man as bailiff who understood the 
 management of a farm like theirs, and as his advice 
 seemed good, they determined to follow it. 
 
 Several offers were made in answer to their in¬ 
 quiries, and they immediately began a fresh 
 novena, that they might make a right choice. On 
 the ninth day they received a letter from a young 
 person who seemed to possess all the qualifications 
 they were seeking, a d being persuaded that he 
 was sent in answer to their prayer, they engaged 
 him; and truly St. Joseph did not disappoint theme 
 for no son could have served them more devotedly, 
 or taken greater car© of their interests than did 
 this young man; through whose endeavors their 
 property was soon rescued from ruin and the 
 declining years of this good couple made peaceful 
 and happy. 
 
 28 A Letter to St. Joseph. 
 
 Towards the end of the seventeenth century the 
 suburb of Vienna called “Laimgrube,” d ; d not con- 
 s'st of the splendid buildings to be seen there at the 
 present day; there were some handsome mansions 
 belonging to the wealthy citizens, but by far the 
 greater part consisted of miserable little houses, 
 into one of which we must beg our kind reader to 
 enter. 
 
 It stood in Maria Heifer street, a miserable turn 
 bledown-looking place, ard if we enter without 
 
St. Joseph's help. 
 
 65 
 
 knocking, after the manner of angels or story¬ 
 tellers, and go up tlie rickety staircase into the 
 worst room of this dilapidated house, we shall find 
 it to be tenated by the gifted musician Paul Merten 
 and his daughter Josepha, only sixteen years of 
 age, beautiful and well educated, and especially ac¬ 
 complished in all kinds of embroidery and needle¬ 
 work. 
 
 But just at the time when our story begins, mis¬ 
 ery and want were rife in Vienna. Very few years 
 had elapsed since it had been besieged by the sav¬ 
 age Turl s, and although they had been successfully 
 repu'sed, yet war always leaves poverty and suffer¬ 
 ing in its train, and the inhabitants of Vienna had 
 hardly as yet either the inclination of the means 
 of ei j oying unnecessary luxuries. 
 
 But the superfluities of the rich often constitute 
 the necessary means of subsistence of the poor, 
 and so it was in the present case; because no one 
 could afford to take music lessons, or give orders 
 for ornamental needlework, poor Paul Merten and 
 his daughter often had to go to bed cold and 
 hungry. 
 
 One day, when their distress seemed to have 
 reached its height, Josepha could no longer bear to 
 see her father suffering and complaining. 
 
 “Father,” she said, “I shall go and seek a situ, 
 ation as a servant, then I can at least send you my 
 wages.” 
 
 “ What!” cried the old man, “ will you also leave 
 me? who then thall I have to wait upon me? by 
 no means, I will never allow it.” 
 
 ‘‘But, dear father,” replied Josepha, “at present, 
 
66 
 
 st. Joseph's help. 
 
 I have no other way t® help you at all; you know I 
 wrote long ago to the husband of my late god¬ 
 mother, as our last chance of assistance, and I have 
 not as yet had any answer at all.” 
 
 “ No wonder,” excitedly returned the old mar, 
 “you might as well have written to the devil.” For 
 he was wild with grief and hunger, and did not 
 quite know what he was saying. 
 
 “Fie, father! what bad thoughts misery puts in 
 your mind,” cried the child. “ Let us rather ad¬ 
 dress ourselves to my dear Patron Saint, that he 
 may obtain for us from our Lord help and employ¬ 
 ment.” 
 
 “Do you mean to say,” retorted her father 
 bitterly, “that you really believe that the poor 
 carpenter has such great credit in heaven? Well, 
 write to St. Joseph if you like, and much good may 
 it do you.” 
 
 “ Father, that is, indeed, a good idea, which I 
 will carry out immediately,” replied cheerfully the 
 devout little Josepha; “ I will write to him, and my 
 white dove, to which I cannot to day give even a 
 crumb of bread, shall be my little carrier.” 
 
 S e sat down at her father’s desk, and on a little 
 piece of paper she wrote the following words: 
 
 “Hail, Joseph! have mercy on us in our great 
 distress; ask our dear Lird to s?nd me some em¬ 
 ployment, for my father is suffering from hunger. 
 
 “ Thy faithful namesake, 
 
 “ Josepha Merten, 
 
 “ Needlewoman and daughter of the musician. 
 
 “ Laimgrube, in Maria Heifer Street, No. 13 ” 
 
 She folded up her note, tied it round the neck of 
 
bt. Joseph’s help. 
 
 67 
 
 the dove by a silken thread, opened the window, 
 and the little thin dove fluttered slowly away. 
 
 An hour had hardly parsed when there sounded 
 a loud knock at the door. Old Paul Merten called 
 out “Come in,” and a stately handsome gentlemai 
 entered the miserable apartment. 
 
 “Does the honorable Fraulein Merten live here!” 
 he inquired. 
 
 “Yes,” replied the father shortly, and casting 
 rather a distrustful look at the stranger. “ What 
 do you want with her V 1 
 
 “My name is Joseph Charles Hirte, and I 
 am a jeweller in the city,” he answered kindly. 
 “I live in this neighborhood, and I have 
 received a message from S'. J Jseph, to whom lam 
 very devout, to answer ia h's name the letter 
 written to him by your daughter. I want a great 
 deal of work done, and your daughter must execute 
 it nicely for me. I have also enrolled myself as a 
 member in the choir of the Carmelite Church, and 
 I need some lessons to make me more perfec. 
 Will you and your daughter undertake the task ?” 
 
 “O yes, with the greatest of pleasure,” cried 
 Josepha with glistening eyes. 
 
 “ Well,” continued Herr Hirte, “ you must allow 
 me to pay a certain sum in advance, as this is my 
 invariable rule in all business transactions.” 
 
 So saying, he laid five shining ducats on the 
 table. 
 
 “ O father!” cried the girl, “ do you not see how 
 favorably St. Joseph has received my letter ? How 
 fervently I shall thank him!” 
 
 “Yes, Fraulein, do that always, and surely you 
 
68 
 
 t T. JOSEPH'S HELP. 
 
 will not remain without consolation and help,” said 
 the citizen gravely and earnestly. “ I will send 
 you all necessary materials for your work by my 
 servant, and hope soon to hear from you. And 
 you, sir,” he a 3ded, turning to Paul Merten, “ will 
 you kindly come to-morrow to begin my lessons? 
 Here is my address; you cannot fail to fihd the 
 house, as outside is painted a large picture of St. 
 Joseph.” He then saluted them respectfully and 
 departed. 
 
 The daughter threw herself into her father’s 
 arms, shedding tears of joy ; but he cast his eyes 
 down in shame and repentance. 
 
 And now how simple was the solution of this 
 affair, effected by the watchful care of Divine 
 Providence. 
 
 The little dove, weak with hunger and frightened 
 aid fatigued by its unaccustomed burden, was not 
 able to fly far, but had sought refuge near at hand. 
 Chance, or rather we should say the design of God, 
 had made it alight at the open window of the room 
 where Herr Hiite was sitting, who was much sur¬ 
 prised to see his unexpected guest, and to perceive 
 the tiny note suspended round its neck. 
 
 He untied it, and read it; and, moved by the 
 pious confidence of this child, had resolved at once 
 to reward it. 
 
 But we must not conclude without giving quite 
 the end of our story. After some time, the rich 
 merchant, seeicg and admiring the many good 
 qua ities of Josephs, asked her in marriage of 
 her father, who willingly accepted the proposal of 
 their generous benefactor j and so it came to pass 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 69 
 
 that the poor Josepha Merten became the honor¬ 
 able and wealthy Madame Hirte, who, as a sign of 
 her gratitude to St. Joseph, had a beautiful repre¬ 
 sentation made of the saint and placed as a shield 
 on the little house where once she had lived in pov¬ 
 erty and sorrow, and until this day the shield may 
 still be seen there. 
 
 29. A Good Situation Obtained. 
 
 To-day we must take a long journey and go far, 
 far away, until we reach Perth, the capital of 
 Queensland, in Australia. 
 
 There was once living there an Irishman, of 
 course a Catholic, and, nearly as much a matter of 
 course, the father of a large family. He toiled day 
 and night at work of the hardest and most fatiguing 
 description to procure the necessary means of sub 
 sistence for his numerous family. Yet still the poor 
 mother, with an aching heart, was often compelled 
 to send her little ores supperless to bed. 
 
 Each trial made by the good man to better his 
 condition had ended in total failure; and so years 
 passed on : the children were growing older, and 
 still the family remained in the same squalid pov¬ 
 erty. The mother suffered most of all; anxiety 
 was wearing and fretting away her very life, her 
 loving but ineffectual solicitude for her hard-work¬ 
 ing husband, and her boys and girls pale from want 
 of nourishing food, and ignorant from the impossi¬ 
 bility of procuring education. 
 
 One evening, when both parents were particularly 
 harassed on account of seme trifling debt, which 
 they were unable to discharge, a neighbor, passing 
 
7D bt. Joseph's help. 
 
 by lent them a newspaper, and the man’s eye 
 chanced to fall the first thing on an announcement 
 that a certain situation had become vacant, which 
 was in the disposal of the Government of the colony. 
 
 It was a lucrative post, and one in every way 
 suited to Ms wishes and capabilities. But ho w 
 could he, poor and unknown, moreover a Catholic 
 and an Irishman, compete for such a position in 
 a place crowded with bigoted Protestants 
 and professed Freemasons? All these dffi 
 culties he was only too well aware of, 
 and yet the bitter poverty of his home, and 
 the firm confidence of his wife, inspired him with 
 a courageous resolution. 
 
 “Dear wife,” he said, “humanly speaking, I have 
 not the slightest chance of obtaining this desirable 
 situation, which would be the making of our for¬ 
 tune ; but with confidence in the blessed St. Joseph, 
 I will nevertheless make the attempt. I will go to 
 the place and make personal efforts to obtain what 
 I want. In the meantime, you and the children 
 must pray that St. Joseph may bless my endeavors.” 
 
 No sooner said than acted upon. The good man, 
 as may be imagined, did not require long to make 
 his preparations, and set off early the next morn¬ 
 ing, while Pat and Mike, Steve and Barney, Molly 
 and Biddy, were roused from their sleep by their 
 mother, with the good news that father had gone 
 to get them plenty of money and food, and that if 
 they would only pray hard to St. Joseph, they 
 would never be hungry nor ragged any more. And 
 so these little Catholic children, with that unhesi¬ 
 tating faith that belorgs to their religion alone, 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 71 
 
 knelt down around their devout mother and began 
 a Novena of nine Aves for father’s success. 
 
 How could the tender mercy of God, Who calls 
 Himself the “ Father of the poor,” be insensible to 
 the petitions offered Him from these innocent child¬ 
 ish hearts ? 
 
 Ii was the ninth and last day of the Novena 
 when, about half past nine in the evening, a hasty 
 knock was heard at the cottage-door, and a man 
 thrust in one of those brownish-yellow papers 
 known so well to us all under the name of “Tele¬ 
 gram.’ 
 
 The poor woman’s heart gave one great bound as 
 she tcok it from the hand of the messenger. Was 
 it to be the bearer of sorrow or j oy ? 
 
 She opened it; yes, joy! thank God! her hus¬ 
 band had been accep'ed. 
 
 A few tears of the most ardent gratitude fell 
 from her eyes ; and then she sought her children, 
 and made them rise at on;?e and kneel down with 
 her to return thanks to God. 
 
 Now this family lives in ease and affluence, and the 
 future fortunes of the children seem secure. 
 
 In the town i 4 self the news caused the most 
 boundless astonishment. How came this poor a d 
 unknown stranger to obtain such a brilliant posi¬ 
 tion, whilst the best applications had been refused? 
 
 One day when the Bishop of the diocese asked 
 the two parents who had been the powerful friends 
 whose influence had secured them such an excel¬ 
 lent situation, they gave tlrs frue and beautiful 
 answer : 
 
 “ No one here below, but one who is m°re power- 
 
72 
 
 ST. JOSEPH S HELP. 
 
 ful and kind than all friends on earth—St. Joseph ; 
 to him we owe all our fortune.” 
 
 30. The Roll of Money. 
 
 In the year 1864, so writes a priest from Russia, 
 
 I began the construction of the church in B-. 
 
 My money failing, I had recourse to the interces¬ 
 sion of St. Joseph, and asked some rich Protestant 
 families for a contribution. The first immediately 
 gave £15. On my way home I wished to bring my 
 collect on to the builder, but, absorbed in my 
 anxieties, I went, contrary to my intention, into his 
 neighbor’s house. In the centre of the otherwise 
 empty table of the sitting-room lay a roll of money. 
 
 1 1 elated to the master of the house what, through 
 the intercession of St. Joseph, I had collected from 
 some Protestant families for the building of the 
 church. The tears came into his eyes: 
 
 <k Take then,” sa ; d he, this roll of money also, 
 for my name is Joseph.” 
 
 31. St. Josfph Helps to Build Churches and 
 
 Schools. 
 
 Another priest writes: 
 
 My present mission was only newly-established ; 
 I desired much to open the poor school in October, 
 but there were no desks, no blackboard, no stone, 
 and not a penny was at my disposal. I began a 
 Novena to Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and said only a 
 few “ Our Fathers.” Some days afterward, in the 
 waiting-room of the station, a lady addressed me. 
 I related to her my troubles. As she was getting 
 into the train she put a paper into my band of 
 
8T. Joseph’s help. 
 
 73 
 
 tweuty-five florins. That was the first visible help, 
 and from thenceforth St. Joseph has assisted me in 
 all my troubles, which have not been few. I had 
 nothing ; he has supplied all. It is true, I wrote 
 numberless letters, but he disposed the hearts. 
 I do not know where the money came from. 
 The greater part always came in the month of 
 March, though once in January he sent me $400. 
 
 Now and then St. Joseph seemed to delay, and 
 then I would humbly admonish him. The presby¬ 
 tery and little church are finished, and St. Joseph 
 has paid all my debts. 
 
 32. St. Joseph in the Oak. 
 
 In the month of May, 1856, by the desire of the 
 parish priest, a mission was given at Villedieu, in 
 the diocese of Angers, by Father Louis, a priest of 
 the Society of Jesus. At the end of it, the parish 
 priest took him to see an extraordinarily old oak 
 tree, which was one of the curiosities of the place. 
 Whilst Father Louis was occupied in measuring the 
 circumference of this giant oak, which was no less 
 than twenty yards, the thought struck him to place 
 a statue of St. Joseph in the large hole which the 
 lapse of centuries had formed in its trunk by reason 
 of the great age of this hug6 tree; which, at the 
 present moment was only utilized as a shelter for 
 protection against the weather, and which might 
 easily be converted into a little chapel. The parish 
 priest read.ly agreed to this proposal, and so did 
 the family to whom the oak belonged, and the ec¬ 
 clesiastical authorities. 
 
 Soon an altar with a tabernacle was erected, and 
 
74 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 a statue of St. Joseph was likewise placed in it, and 
 the first time that Holy Mass was offered there, the 
 holy Spouse of the Immaculate Mother of God was 
 iuvoked under the title of “St, Joseph in the Oak.” 
 Tlis title was universally recogn'zed with great 
 rejoicing by one hundred priests and fifteen hundred 
 laity who were present on the occasion, and has 
 belonged to the pilgrimage ever since. 
 
 The tidings of this inauguration re-echoed 
 throughout the whole land, and fro u thenceforth 
 the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was continually 
 offered up in th s new sanctuary. More than thirty 
 thousand pilgrims flocked from ad parts, and asso¬ 
 ciated themselves wi ;h the inhabitants of Viiledieu 
 to praise the saint, and to implore his powerful in¬ 
 tercession in their troubles and anxieties, who had 
 become their especial patron and protector. Dating 
 from this day, there has ascended an unceasing 
 universal homage from this modest sanctuary 
 to the exalted Patriarch, which in the last 
 twenty years has steadily increased. And 
 Heaven has responded to the homage of the 
 pilgrims by the most remarkable graces, which 
 show how agreeable to God are their praises, their 
 petitions, and their pious promises in this holy 
 place. 
 
 The Holy Father, by a brief of the 23 d of June, 
 1857, endowed and enriched this pilgrimage with 
 indulgences. This favor contributed not a little to 
 raise it to greater importance among the faithful of 
 the district, and ve y soon it was indispensably 
 necessary to build a chapel to enable the many 
 pilgrims to satisfy their devotion. The money for 
 
st. Joseph's help. 
 
 75 
 
 its accomplishment was altogether wanting; but 
 the generosity of the clients of St. Joseph, of the 
 inhabitant?, aid of the pilgrims themselves, sup¬ 
 plied the means. Nor was it very long before this 
 also did net suffice. So now there stands a church 
 at the foot of the old oak, worthy of its destina¬ 
 tion. Wi h that faith, with what confidence, and 
 with what lively interest one feels drawn to this 
 sanctuary cannot be expressed. Pilgrimages are 
 made to it from Anjou, Bretagne and Poitou; and 
 even from the northern and distant provinces of 
 Belgium and other quarters come pilgrimages and 
 processions. These arrive every year—frem sixty 
 to eighty thousand pilgrims; and over seven 
 hundred Masses are said at the place of pilgrimage 
 itself. N t a day passes without bringing some 
 new pilgrims, but the greatest number arrive at 
 the time of the principal feast in the month of 
 August. 
 
 Then all those who have obtained hearing and 
 help from St. Joseph, likewise those who have fresh 
 graces to ask him, come on these festival days to 
 join in the solemnities and homage which there 
 take place in honor of the holy Patriarch, and not 
 unfrequently does his power manifest itself by new 
 and wonderful benefits. 
 
 A young priest had edified us very much during 
 the ceremonies of the H g 1 Maes of the feast. He 
 performed the function of Deacon with extra¬ 
 ordinary piety. A f tcr the Mass, he approached the 
 priest of the mission, who, with the parish priest of 
 Villedieu, had founded this sanctuary. 
 
 “Do you recognize me, Father?'’ he asked. 
 
76 
 
 ST. JOSEPHUS HELP. 
 
 4< No; I do not know that I have ever met you.” 
 
 “What! do you know me?” said the young priest. 
 “ Look here,” and he showed him a large, deep scar 
 on his hand. 
 
 “What! is it you?” exclaimed the priest; how 
 glad and happy I am to see you again. The prayer 
 of your excellent mother in that desperate case was 
 then heard. St. Joseph be praised.” 
 
 What had happened to him ? To the greater 
 honor and glory of St. Joseph, we will will relate it 
 to our readers 
 
 In the winter of the year 1858, a little boy of 
 seven years old accompanied a servant who was 
 going to cut down an old tree. Whilst the servant 
 was making preparations for his hard work, the 
 child seized the large sharply-ground axe; but 
 being too weak to wield it properly, the heavy, up¬ 
 raised axe fell unfortunately across his left hand, bo 
 that the whole of the thumb and three-quarters of 
 the forefinger were cut off; the latter remaining 
 hanging on by a little bit of skin. Th9 child was 
 immediately brought back to his mother. When she 
 saw him covered with blood, carrying his thumb in 
 one hand, and holding on the forefinger, the poor 
 mother cried out: “Holy St. Joseph in the Oak, 
 if you do not heal my child, he will be maimed for 
 life I M 
 
 The doctor who was called in declared: “ These 
 two fingers will never heal—it is impossible, and 
 even if they should possibly do so, he will never 
 be able to use them all his life.” 
 
 It was only by the persistent entreaties of the 
 mother, who never wavered in her confidence in St. 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 77 
 
 Joseph, that the doctor was at lerg h prevailed 
 upon to bind up and properly arrange the cut 
 fingers. How great was his astonishment, when 
 after several davs he untied tbe bandages and 
 found that both the fingers were beginning to heal. 
 
 Some months afterwards, the principal feast of 
 St. J seph in the Oak took place. When Father 
 Louis was returning to his house, a lady spoke to 
 him, showing him at the same time the hand of her 
 little boy. 
 
 ‘‘Father Louis, I have been seeking you for 
 some time to show you what St. Joseph in the Oak 
 has done for my child. I was so afrgid that later 
 he would not be able to be a priest, which is a 
 privilege which I always desired for my child and 
 besought of God.” 
 
 The priest again examined the little hand; the 
 scar was still deep, broad and red, but the finger 
 was quite pliant and fl xible, and nearly well again. 
 He led the little protege of St. Joseph into the 
 midst of the assembled priests and other persons, 
 and all prepent united in a fervent act of thanks¬ 
 giving to God and St. Joseph. 
 
 Such was the early history of this deacon, and it 
 is only one of the many instances which might be 
 related concerning St. Joseph in the Oak. 
 
 33. Cure 3 in Bohle. 
 
 In the parish of Bohle, in Westphalia, in the 
 diocese of Paderborn, the devotion and confidence 
 of the parish priest of St. Joseph have been re¬ 
 warded by many miraculous cures and graces. We 
 will relate two or three of these. 
 
78 
 
 St. Joseph’s help. 
 
 In the year 1868, on the 4th of October, a blind 
 gentleman from Utrecht (Holland) was in Bohle, 
 who besides his blindness had a difficulty in his 
 breathing. Having returned home, his difficulty of 
 breathing disappeared, and he could read the finest 
 print without spectacles. A year later he returned 
 o Bohle and presented the parish priest with at 
 richly gilded silver ciboriuro, undoubtedly the most 
 beautiful in the district, as a lasting thanks-offering 
 for his wonderful cure through the intercession of 
 St. Joseph. 
 
 The sister of a parish priest in Holland was iu 
 Bohle on crutches, and had one leg shorter than the 
 other. When she went home she threw away the 
 crutches, as the short leg had been miraculously 
 lengthened. 
 
 The proprietor of a refreshment-room in a rail¬ 
 way-station had the gout so badly that he could 
 neither walk nor stand, and could not be touched 
 without suffering great pain. He let himself be 
 taken as well as he could to Bohle, invoking St. 
 J seph with great confidence, and was immediately 
 cured, so that he could return home without pain 
 or trouble. 
 
 In the year 1867 a gentleman was in Bohle with 
 his son, who had been blind live years, and had 
 amaurosis in both eyes. After a few days he could 
 suddenly see, and is entirely cured. 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 79 
 
 34. Miracles through St. Joseph’s Cord. 
 
 The BolJandists relate the following wonderful 
 cure, coi firmed even by a Prctes 4 ant doctor. 
 
 An Augustinian nun of Antwerp suffered 
 for more than three years such intense pain 
 that she often fainted through it. Her state 
 was such that the doctor declared that her 
 death would inevitably ensue. She betook herself 
 immediately to St. Joseph, wearing during her in¬ 
 vocation a cord dedicated to him, and made a 
 Novena with her sister in his honor. On the 10th 
 of June, 1859, the last day of the Novena, she 
 knelt, nearly fainting with pain, before a picture of 
 St. Joseph; whilst she besought him for her 
 health, her pain suddenly ceased, and she lived 
 seven years without ever again feeling anything of 
 it. When in the year 1842 this wonder became 
 mere public by being read aloud in the Church of 
 St. Nicholas at Verona, where the month of March 
 was first dedicated to St. Joseph, many sick per¬ 
 sons procured for themselves cords similarly blest, 
 and through them obtained not only health, but 
 also other remarkable graces. 
 
 In consequence of this, at Verona, on the 19th of 
 March, 1860, the Confraternity of the Girdle of St. 
 Joseph, which was approved by Pope Pius IX., 
 was, with the consent of the Church, raised to an 
 Archconfraternity, and enriched with many in¬ 
 dulgences. 
 
80 
 
 st. Joseph's help. 
 
 35. Confidence in St. Joseph’s Intercession Re¬ 
 warded. 
 
 On the 9,h of Ju&e, 1871, Ludwig Lanca, of 
 Miglie, wrote the following to the editor of the 
 Dlvoto y an Italian newspaper: 
 
 A peasant’s son, eighteen years old, was seized 
 with a dangerous illness. It was a violent typhoid 
 fever, which in the judgment of the attending 
 physician, left very little or no hope at all of re¬ 
 covery, if there were no change after two days. 
 The third day broke, and the state of the patient 
 had become so imminently dangerous that, by the 
 advice of the doctor, the la3t Sacraments were 
 administered to him. In their distress the family, 
 betook themselves to St. Joseph, whose picture was 
 honored in the house. Scarcely had they begun to 
 say the Litany, when the patient seemed to awake 
 out of a deep sleep, and desired them to give him 
 the picture of St. Joseph, that he might kiss it, 
 saying that the Saint had promised him the longed- 
 for grace of health ; and from that moment he re¬ 
 covered so rapidly, that in three days he was per¬ 
 fectly restored and well. 
 
 36 “Arise! You Have Suffered Enough.” 
 
 We take the following from the periodical en¬ 
 titled the “The Client of St. Joseph 
 
 For nearly five years a strange and painful ill¬ 
 ness attacked a healthy girl named Mary Borchi, 
 and caused her parents, who lad used in vain all 
 the arts of medicine, unspeakable grief. The child 
 suffered from interior paralysis, with frightful un- 
 
st. Joseph's help. 
 
 81 
 
 heard-of pains, and continual sickness. Several 
 days passed without the invalid being able to take 
 any nourishment At last the paralysis seized also 
 the left side of her body, and by the end of August 
 of the following year the unhappy girl had lost 
 her sight as well as her speech; her hands were 
 drawn together with cramp, her st ffened limbs had 
 lost aU feeling—in a word, she lay like a corpse on 
 her bed of pain. But her simpl© faith had not 
 suffered, and was her one consolation in the midst 
 of such acute agony. Whi’e she, deaf and dumb, 
 could hold no conversation with her loved ones, 
 her weary eyes were often raised to a pious picture 
 hanging on the wall of her little bedroom, repre¬ 
 senting St. Joseph and the Holy Family. She 
 looked upon St. Joseph as her only hope, and 
 though her lips refused their service she prayed to 
 him from her heart, and a voice within her to T d her 
 that she would be heard. And where else indeed 
 could she have found relief ? The doctors had ex¬ 
 hausted their experiments, her parents could only 
 shed tears, and expect every moment that death 
 would snatch her from them. 
 
 The poor girl was in this state on the night of 
 the 14th of March of the same year, when at about 
 one o’c’ock, and no one being in her room, she 
 thought she heard a voice which said: “Bise now 9 
 you have suffered enough.” She thought that she 
 was dreaming, or that, possibly, one of the family 
 said it to her to encourage her, and she remained 
 motionless; then she lost cor sciousness. But when, 
 an hour later, she opened her eyes as one who 
 awakes from a deep sleep, she saw that she was no 
 
82 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 longer in bed, but on a sofa that was near, sup¬ 
 ported with cushions, and—O wonderful!—she per¬ 
 ceived she had obtained again the use of hearing 
 and speech, and she was easy and flexible in all her 
 1 mbs, which no longer retained any trace of paraly- 
 i is, and also had regained all her former abilities ; 
 in a word, she was entirely cured. Moved with 
 the most lively gratitude, she threw herself on her 
 kcees before the picture, and in prayer awaited the 
 morning, to show herself cured to her mother and 
 the rest of the family. Who can describe the aston¬ 
 ishment, the exclamations of joy, the embraces, the 
 tears of such a moment f 
 
 All honor and praise to St. Joseph, through 
 whose mediation this illness, which for years had 
 resisted all medical art, was conquered and driven 
 away. 
 
 The young girl is now in continual and perfect 
 health, and has already several times, without the 
 least exertion or effort, been to church and thanked 
 the Most High for such a complete miracle. 
 
 We have communicated nothing but the truth, 
 and, indeed, much less than the truth, in these 
 simple words, in which all must see a new example 
 of how powerful a protector is St. Joseph, the 
 Spouse of Mary. 
 
 37. St. Joseph Saves a Child. 
 
 The fiemaine Heligieuse, of the diocese of Yannes, 
 relates the following wonder, how St. Joseph 
 favored a little boy named William Le Gall. 
 
 It was on a Thursday, the 19th of February, at 
 half-past eleven in the morning, and several children 
 
8T. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 83 
 
 were playing in the street, when a heavy wagon, 
 loaded with furniture, drove up. William, all en¬ 
 grossed with his game, did not even perceive the 
 approach of the horses, until one of them actually 
 touched h’m. He then tried quick’y to escape to 
 one side, but be ng frightened, stumbled against a 
 stone and fell right in front of the wagon. The 
 driver could not suddenly rein in fcis horses, which 
 were going at a sharp trot, and the wheel of the 
 wagon passed right over the child’s body. 
 
 The excitement of the other boys and the passers- 
 by may be imagined; the whole scene took place in 
 a moment, quicker than we could describe it. Many 
 kind persons went at once to raise the child, whom 
 they expected to find quite dead. But before they 
 could do so he was already on his feet. All his 
 companions cried out: 
 
 “He is dead! He is dead!” 
 
 Now, although the little fellow was standing on 
 his legs, perfectly uninjured, all these exclamations 
 scared him, and he cried out in his turn : 
 
 “Perhaps I am dead—perhaps I shall die, but I 
 must see mamma again first.” 
 
 And, with these words, he ran home with the 
 greatest speed. 
 
 When his mother saw him crying she thought 
 that he had been quarrelling with one of his com¬ 
 panions, and prepared herself to give him a whole¬ 
 some reprimand; but when the boy exclaimed, “ A 
 wagon has run over me! ” the poor terrified mother 
 broke out into violent weeping, especially as the 
 persons who had followed him confirmed his state¬ 
 ment. But little William, whom they immediately 
 
ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 84 
 
 began to undress, took a picture of St. Joseph, 
 which he had had in his pocket when the wagon 
 went over him, and said: 
 
 “Do not cry, mamma; I shall not die: St. 
 Joseph is with me.” 
 
 Then he related that, at the moment when he 
 saw himself in danger of being crushed, he thought 
 of St. Joseph, whom his mother had taught him 
 to love, and pronounced his holy name. He had 
 felt that a heavy weight had passed over him, but 
 nothing more. 
 
 The doctor who was summoned, declared that 
 the child had suffered no injury, only a rather dark 
 mark on the skin showed the trace of the wheel. 
 
 On the following day, and later on, the boy 
 showed with joyful pride the little picture of St. 
 Joseph to all his acquaintances, and said: 
 
 “It was this that saved me.” 
 
 When he received a sou from the Sisters of St. 
 Joseph at Oluny, he said: 
 
 “ I shall not spend this sou, but I shall give it to 
 St. Josephso saying, he went in and laid it at 
 his feet. 
 
 His mother conceived a sincere veneration for 
 this great saint, had recourse to him in all her mis¬ 
 fortunes, and, although she was poor, offered him 
 little presents, mostly by the hands of her eon. 
 Without taking the above related occurrence for a 
 miracle, we content ourselves with communicating 
 it to the honor of St. Joseph. 
 
st. Joseph's help. 
 
 85 
 
 38. Relief from a Pecuniary Embarrassment. 
 
 “Some years ago,” writes a person to us, “I was 
 in the greatest distress and perplexity; a numerous 
 family, and a series of heavy necessary 
 expenses, brought me into great difficulties. 
 
 “ My wife, children and myself all worked un¬ 
 remittingly, but we could not get out of our 
 trouble. I endeavored, by making several loans, 
 to recover my business, but the high interest on 
 which I bad reckoned was my ruin. Our resources 
 were exhausted, and so was also our courage. 
 After a consultation we determined to sell our 
 business house and to live on the purchase money. 
 
 “ In order to sell it advantageously we resolved 
 to pray every day to St. Joseph. We persevered 
 in this prayer for six months, and at last, moved by 
 our tears and many petitions, as well as by our 
 misery, St. Joseph heard us, and that in two ways; 
 first he procured me a secure loan of 2,000 francs 
 a year, and he also sent a good purchaser for the 
 house. Thus were our debts all paid and our pain¬ 
 ful situation relieved.” All thanks to St. Joseph. 
 
 39. A Lost Paper Found. 
 
 A lady writes thus: 
 
 “ A fortnight ago I lost an important deed of 
 capital to the value of 10,000 francs. In our 
 circumstances this was a most terrible loss. 
 
 “ What made the thing worse was, that my hus¬ 
 band had entrusted this deed to my care, and I had 
 every reason to fear his just displeasure. 
 
86 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 “ In my distress I had recourse to St. Joseph, 
 and promised to publish it in the monthly periodical 
 called the ‘ Propageteur,’ if I found the lost paper 
 through his favor. After long and most fruitless 
 searches the paper came to light in a most unex¬ 
 pected manner. I thanked St. Joseph with the 
 deepest gratitude, feeling how truly I was indebted 
 to his intercession for this favor.” 
 
 40. The Coed op St. Joseph. 
 
 Angelique Brixard, nee Erancillon, of St. Etienne 
 de Crossey (Voiron Isere), offers her humble thanks 
 to St. Joseph for the favor of a remarkable cure 
 she has obtained through his intercession. 
 
 At the end of July of the present yea* (1884) she 
 was ill, bedridden, and could scarcely move. Her 
 pains were exceedingly severe, and as the physicians 
 could give her no relief, she betook herself to 
 prayer, praying herself, and obtaining the prayers 
 of others. 
 
 When she had been about five months confined 
 to her bed, a large abscess formed on her left side, 
 which was lanced by the two doctors who attended 
 her; immediately afterwards a fresh tumor showed 
 itself on the hip-joint, and the doctors declared the 
 bone to be diseased ; the pains she suffered were 
 unendurable, and, believing her end was approach¬ 
 ing, she received the last Sacraments and took 
 leave of all her friends, endeavoring to console them, 
 especially her husband, who was in despair at the 
 thought of losing her. 
 
 Just at this time when her sufferings and illness 
 were at their worst, she received from her brother, 
 
ST j seph's help. 
 
 87 
 
 who was the chaplain of the Sisters of our Lady of 
 the Holy Cross, a letter containing a cord of /St. 
 Joseph” 
 
 ‘•Gird yourself wi.h this cord,” wrote her brother 
 to her; “ to-morrow I will begin a Novena in honor 
 of St. Joseph, the spouse of the ever Blessed Vir¬ 
 gin ; the Sisters of Charity, who feel deeply in¬ 
 terested in you, wiil redouble their prayers during 
 these nine days, and I will also solicit others to 
 unite with us.” 
 
 Her husband and children likewise began the 
 Novena with great confidence, and they girded her 
 with the precious and holy girdle. 
 
 Their confidence did not go unrewarded. Even 
 on the second day of the Novena her sufferings had 
 begun to decrease, an abscess which the doctors 
 had decided t) lance disappeared as if by magic, 
 to the great surprise of her physician, who could 
 hardly believe his eyes. 
 
 At the end of the Novena, though she still suf¬ 
 fered and was weak, yet she was getting really 
 better, and all danger of death was past; since that 
 time her state has daily improved; her left leg, 
 which had become contracted and shorter than the 
 other, became longer again, and she was able to 
 walk without difficulty. Thus was confidence in St. 
 Joseph rewarded. 
 
 41. St. Joseph Rewards Persevering Confidence. 
 
 During the month of March, multitudes of devout 
 souls venerate St. Joseph, and are accustomed to ask 
 the foster-father of Jesus for some particular grace. 
 And how many of the faithful have seen the confidence 
 
88 
 
 ST. JOSEPH’S HELP. 
 
 they have placed in the most pure Spouse of Mary 
 rewarded in a remarkable manner. We ourselves 
 are acquainted with a pious soul belonging to the 
 better classes, who recommends all her petitions to 
 the great Patron of the Catholic Church. In the 
 year 1884 she became ill and quite unable to per¬ 
 form her duties, which up to that time she had 
 fulfilled with the greatest exactitude. The evil in¬ 
 creased to such an extent that at last she was not 
 able to move without excruciating pain. It was 
 feared that the spinal marrow was affected. In this 
 distress the lady herself, as well as many of her 
 friends, who were most anxious for her recovery, 
 had recourse to St. Joseph. The month of March 
 was approaching, and it was resolved to offer up 
 the devotions to obtain the desired cure. Many 
 approached the Holy Table, and many Novenas 
 were made to procure help for the severely-tried 
 lady, but all in vain: the disease, instead of de¬ 
 creasing, seemed to gain ground. Nevertheless, 
 the sick person did not lose courage or confidence, 
 She used to say: “It seems to me that it does not 
 yet please St. Joseph to intercede for me, and so 
 Gad will not answer my prayer.” She continued 
 to pray to St. Joseph, saying: “Hail, holy Joseph 
 help me; thou knowest that I only desire my health 
 in order to labor for others, and especially for 
 youth.” 
 
 After suffering violent pains for a whole year, 
 she commenced another Novena, begging her 
 friends once more to join her in prayer. When, be¬ 
 hold! she began to grow better, and in a few weeks 
 was able to leave her sick bed. 
 
ST. jo eph's help. 
 
 89 
 
 In a short time she was again the provid¬ 
 ence to her neighborhood, visiting and comforting 
 the poor and afflicted. If any one asked her how 
 the happy change had occurred, she would say: 
 
 “No one but St. Joseph cured me; I have not 
 invoked him in vain.” 
 
 42. From Olden Times. 
 
 Sister Johanna of the Angels, Prioress of the 
 convent of the Ursu’ines at Laon, in France, was 
 seized with a dangerous pleurisy; she was at 
 death’s door and already given np by the doctors, 
 when she was suddenly restored in a most wonder¬ 
 ful manner. 
 
 This extraordinary case was examined by the 
 Bishop of Poitiers, who confirmed the truth, and 
 published an account of it in the year 1637. We 
 will let the Sister to whom it happened relate the 
 fact in her own words: 
 
 “I was, as a dying person, lying in my last 
 agony, bereft of the use of my senses, and able to 
 control only my reason. In this state I had a 
 vision of a large and bright cloud, in which on one 
 side sat my guardian angel, under the appearance 
 of a youth of eighteen years, hia head adorned with 
 goldtn locks, and a lighted candle in his hand. 
 
 “ On the other side was the glorious St. Joseph, 
 with a face that shone like the sun with superhuman 
 majes y ; he appeared as a man between forty and 
 forty-five years of age; the hair of his head was 
 beautiful and long, of a chestnut-brown color. He 
 smiled kindly on all who were around my bed; 
 then, turning to me, he bent over me, put his right 
 
90 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 hand on my side and anointed it with oil, or some 
 other liquid. I felt that my side was wet, and in 
 the ssme moment I knew that I was well, and said 
 so to those around me.” 
 
 Sister Johanna of the Angels then immediately 
 arose from her bed, in which she had lain in a 
 dying state for a fortnight, after having been bled 
 nine times and quite tortured by the pain in her 
 side. 
 
 All who saw this instantaneous cure were amazed, 
 especially the doctor, who was not a Catholic, but 
 a Calvinist. When be entered the room and saw 
 the bed empty, and all on their knees, and the 
 Sister coming to meet him smiling, and in her 
 habit, he stood still with astonishment, and ended 
 by saying: 
 
 “ With God nothing is impossible.” 
 
 43. One of St. Joseph’s Latest Favors. 
 
 Not far from Triest stands a poor, very poor 
 orphan asylum. A good Capuchin Father is th9 
 founder of it; it is an old solitary house overlook¬ 
 ing the bay. The care of this modest home is en¬ 
 trusted to an unpretending honest woman, by name 
 Giovanna. Two or three of her elder pupils re- 
 ma’n with her in order to help and ass ; st. 
 
 Thirty orphans were maintained and provided 
 for in this house, and besides this they received 
 religious ins’ruction, and were taught read¬ 
 ing, writing and arithmetic, and also the necessary 
 skill in sewing, knitting, washing, ironing, cooking, 
 and gardening, in order to fit them later to take 
 good situations. 
 
ST. JO eph's help. 
 
 91 
 
 I remember the exact date when the follow¬ 
 ing occurrence took place; it was on the 11th of 
 January of this year (1886). One of the youngest 
 children, Antoinette, had been ill for a long time. 
 It was a wearisome illness. To express myself 
 shortly, I will only say that the pains in her head, 
 stomach and che t were so great that she often 
 beat the suffering parts with both her hands, ard 
 tore in pieces the clothes that were rear her. The 
 doctor as well as the priest wished to have her 
 taken to the hospital, but the good Giovanna 
 earnestly begged them to desist from this idea. 
 The child was still too young for the reception of 
 the Holy Sacraments of Penance and the Holy 
 Eucharist, and it w T as only with difficulty that tbe 
 priest could perform the last anointing. I beard 
 that while he was performing this ceremony she 
 tore his stole, which came near her hands, into 
 shreds. 
 
 Finally, after a few days, she lay there motion¬ 
 less, her arms crossed on her breast, apparently un¬ 
 able to see, hear, feel or speak. 
 
 Her tongue projected out of her mouth so 
 swollen that it was a wonder how she could still 
 breathe; her teeth were buried in her tongue, so 
 that they were covered by it, and seemed as if they 
 would bite it in two. The elder girls absve men¬ 
 tioned watched two and two alternately by the 
 dying child. The priest and doctor were both of 
 opinion that she could only last a few hours. 
 Nevertheless, this stat6 was protracted from Monday 
 until Friday, and during all this time they were 
 unable to put any nourishment into her mouth. 
 
92 
 
 st. Joseph's help. 
 
 All at one© there was a cry heard in the house; 
 it cam© from the children who were watching. All 
 hastened to the sick room. 
 
 Antoinette had raised her hands from her nearly 
 lifeless body, and made a motion as if to write. 
 They brought her holy water, which she did not 
 touch, but continued to make signs that she wished 
 to write. Then they gave her a pencil and paper, 
 and sh© wrote, with a trembling hand; 
 
 i; l see a procession of men, like princely soldiers 
 in red, and their leader is an old man who carries a 
 crown and a lily.” 
 
 Repeatedly during the morning she made signs 
 to write, and when they gave her a pencil and 
 paper she wrote always the same words. After a 
 time those in the house again heard the children 
 call, and all again assembled in the room. There 
 sat little Antoinette upright in her bed with closed 
 eyes, and whispering: 
 
 “ Jesus ! Jesus 1 Joseph! Joseph !” 
 
 Then she stretched out her hand as if to take 
 something invisible from an unseen person, and 
 rubbed her eyes with it, first one and then the 
 other. Then she took a part of it, put it into her 
 mouth and ate it; then she joined her hands to¬ 
 gether, and prayed and opened her eyes When 
 she saw them standing round her, she began to 
 jump like a child, and cried out: 
 
 “ I am cured I I am well! Saint - Joseph came 
 to me and told me to rub my eyes with the lily, and 
 eat a piece of it, then to pray. Now I will get up 
 and dress myself, and go down to church to thank 
 him at his altar.” 
 
LT. J SIPH’S HELP. 
 
 93 
 
 The poor little orphans all fell on their knees 
 around her, exclaiming: 
 
 “ A miracle ! A miracle!” 
 
 Giovanna, whom I have known ten years, con¬ 
 fessed to me that she was quite overcome with the 
 impression; but that she wished to keep the child 
 back in order to avert a possible disappointment. 
 
 “Antoinette,” she said, “you must not S£eak, 
 you must lie down ; the doctor said that you were 
 to keep perfectly still.” 
 
 But the child laughed. 
 
 “ Oh, that is not necessary now! I am cured ard 
 well; I must dress myself and go down; he told 
 me to do so,” and she ran round the room to get 
 her clothes together. 
 
 When they saw how well she was, what a fresh 
 color she had, how blight her eyes were, her tongue 
 rosy-red and small again, and without any trace of 
 being bitten, they brought her something to eat, 
 dressed her, and took her into the chapel, and joined 
 with her in nuking thanksgiving. 
 
 At this time they were expecting the doctor, and 
 the child wished to open the door for him herself, 
 only Giovanna ordered that she was to sit on the 
 bed and wait for him. When he entered the room 
 h© asked: 
 
 “Where is my lit le patient? Have you sent her 
 away % Is she dead ?” 
 
 “ Here I am 1” she cried, radiant with joy. 
 
 The doctor stood for a moment as if petrified, 
 and for five minutes spoke not a word. They re¬ 
 lated to him all the above-mentioned circumstances, 
 whereupon he made the following declaration: 
 
94 
 
 8T. Joseph’s help. 
 
 ft I am not a Catholic, yet I feel myself obliged 
 to declare that yesterday I affirmed that, humanly 
 speaking, it was impossible for this child to live 
 another twenty-four hours. Yes, ev n it I had euc- 
 ceeded in some measure in restoring her health, 
 she would still have remained deaf and dumb and 
 blind, and, at most, imbecile; for she ha 1 suffered 
 from a very severe attack cf brain fever.” 
 
 In the meantime his lordship, the Bishop, had 
 been sent for, and he came with many others to see 
 her. I myself was a long time alone with Giovanna 
 and the child, and heard the story from bo.h of 
 them. The child is still so young and innocent as 
 to wonder why any one should want to see her. 
 His lordship, the Bishop, wishes the month of 
 March to be kept here with great solemnity, and 
 that on the 19th, the feast of $ Joseph, the child 
 should be allowed to make her First Communion. 
 
 1 will mention two more circumstances which 
 made a deep impression on me. 
 
 Lately I had this little child alone with me, and 
 she came and leaned herself against my knees. Her 
 bright, black eyes appeared for a while full of grati¬ 
 tude, then she said: 
 
 “Signora, when you wish to obtain anything 
 from St. Joseph say to him, 4 St. J jseph, thou 
 friend of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,’ and he can 
 refuse you nothing.” 
 
 The other circumstance I heard from Giovanna. 
 
 “Signora, every one is so astonished at this 
 miracle; but our poor house is a continual living 
 wonder. We are thirty-seven, thirty-three children 
 and four nurses. We have no money, oFen not a 
 
ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 95 
 
 kreuzer (abou'i three-quarters of a penny) in the 
 house, and sometimes know not how wa shall gat 
 our breakfast the next morning; but then there 
 comes a little present from some client of St. 
 Jo eph, with an alms; and so w© live in God’s 
 ban. s.” 
 
 All who have the honor and love of St. Joseph at 
 heart will welcome in this simple statement a new 
 and powerful inducement to confide, firmly and 
 sincerely, all their troubles to tha intercession of 
 this glorious Saint. 
 
 III.—ST. JOSEPH OUR HELPER IN SPIRIT¬ 
 UAL NECESSITY. 
 
 1. St. Joseph a Good Mxssioneb. 
 
 The foundation of the mission of Mandera, near 
 Bagamoyo, in the Vicariate Apostolic of Zrnguebar, 
 in Africa, is in a particular manner the work of St. 
 Joseph. The Reverend Father Baur, Apostolic 
 V.C9 Prefect of Zanguebar, wrote the following 
 account concerning it: 
 
 “ It was in the year 1880. Wa desired much to 
 establish a station between Bagamoyo and Mhonda. 
 Therefore I undertook a journey to find a suitable 
 village for a Christian settlement. Father Machor 
 accompanied me. I r£commended the j uroey to 
 St. Joseph, and we carried with us a relic of the 
 Saint to protect and lead us aright. The 19th of 
 March, the feast of the Saint, was fixed upon for 
 the day of departure. 
 
 “After we had celebrated Holy Mass wa set out 
 
96 
 
 et. Joseph’s help. 
 
 for IJdon, to which district Mandera belongs, and 
 which is inhabited by poor savages, who are wor¬ 
 shippers of fetiches and also cannibals. A great 
 part of our journey lay through this country, wh'ch 
 had never before been visited by any Europeans. 
 We were not eaten up! s f il ! , w© were told from 
 time to time by the natives that w© seemed likely 
 to be delicate, tasty morsels, and if we would allow 
 it they would be very pleased to make an experi¬ 
 ment of the flavor of our guides! 
 
 “ Many of these speeches were made, we believe, 
 as grim jests; all the game, they wer© not very 
 comforting to us. However, we bora them w’th as 
 good a grace as we were able, but each time any 
 question arose concerning a settlement in the 
 country we were met by a decided refusal. I saw 
 that nothing could be effected by human means, 
 and so I said to St. Joseph: 
 
 “ 4 Thou art our L ader; for the glory of thy 
 Divine Son, thou hast laid open to us this country, 
 and the merciful designs of God have shown us the 
 needs of thee© poor souls. Now, therefore, do 
 whatever thou wiehest, but with regard to us, we 
 will return only when the site of the future mis¬ 
 sion is decided upon.” 
 
 “And so we continued our journey without 
 knowing whither we were travelling; going on at 
 random, straying about from one village to another, 
 always hoping, yet never succeeding, from one chief 
 ordered to another; until, at last, in Holy Week, 
 we arrived in the territory of a chief named Kingaru. 
 The village was called Mandera. 
 
 “ As soon as Kingaru caught sight of us, he stop- 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 97 
 
 ped, took a step backwards, uttered violently some 
 guttural sounds, shook his head, looked at us again, 
 tnd the more he gazed tho more numerous became 
 the manifestations of his surprise, until at last he 
 burst out into the following speech: 
 
 “ ‘ Hear my words, hear! Tnis night, whether I 
 was asleep or awake I know not, but I saw before 
 me a beautiful old white haired man, who touched 
 me as if he would awake me, and then said 
 to me: 
 
 “‘“Kingaru, look! There are two white men 
 and a little caravan coming to thee j receive them 
 kindly, and give them all they desire.’ ” 
 
 “‘ And it was you two, you two—thou and thou, 
 whom I see before me. Ha! how does this hap¬ 
 pen ? How is this possible V ” 
 
 “ And without leaving us time to utter even one 
 word, he called all the people of his village and 
 exclaimed to them: i Look here! these are the 
 two white men whom I saw last night with the 
 beautiful cld man, as I told you this morning when 
 I arose. L ok! here they are!’ 
 
 “ The good people looked at us with great sur¬ 
 prise. We ourselves, at first also astonished at the 
 behavior of the chief, soon found the key to this 
 mystery. St. Joseph had interposed in our behalf, 
 and from the depths of our hearts we thanked him 
 while we asked him to continue his kind mediation 
 until the end. 
 
 “ After the first emotions of excitement had sub 
 sided, I announced to Kingaru the purpose of our 
 journey, and asked him for some portion of land in 
 his dominions. 
 
98 
 
 1ST. JOSEPH S HELP. 
 
 u ‘ All that I have belongs to you,’ answered the 
 worthy man. ‘ My house is yours, my fields are 
 yours, my people are yours 5 take what pleases you, 
 only remain with me.’ 
 
 “Wosi&yed there, indeed, for eight days, and 
 kept the Eesst of Easter in this unknown village, 
 shown to us and entrusted to our care by St. 
 Joseph. During the whole time Kingarn endeav¬ 
 ored to bestow on us every mark of kindness and 
 attention. He gave us shelter in one of his huts, 
 provided us with sheep, fowls, rice, bananas, and 
 everything we could desire in the way of food, 
 showed us different parls of his territory, pointing 
 out the best situations, and loaded us with proofs 
 of his respect and attachment. 
 
 “ As soon as the site of our house was fixed upon 
 we departed, but Kingaru insisted on being himself 
 our guide, and would not leave us until he had 
 brought us again safely to the frontiers of Udon, 
 Truly this good and simple African belonged to the 
 number of these to whom Almighty God, accord¬ 
 ing to the opinion of St. Thomas of Aquin, would 
 sxmer send an angel to give them baptism than 
 allow them to perish. 
 
 “ A fortnight later he visited me in Bagamoyo, 
 and as the time drew near to begin the building he 
 came once more—this time accompanied by a 
 numerous retinue to accompany the missioners and 
 to carry their baggage. 
 
 “ His devotedness towards us is still unimpaire I; 
 he is now a fervent Christian, and each day, with 
 many of his people, assists devoutly at the Holy 
 Sacrifice. 
 
6T. Joseph’s help. 
 
 99 
 
 “Thus has St. Joseph acted for Mandera. To 
 him be praise, honor and thanks l ” 
 
 2. Stkange! 
 
 In the year 1843 a professor of the Society of 
 Jeius, in Sitten (Waliis), became ill. The young 
 religious, distinguished by talent as well as virtue, 
 felt death approaching. The rector of the college 
 was Father Theodore Neltuer, well-known through¬ 
 out Switzerland, France and Germany by his apos¬ 
 tolic labors. 
 
 When it became his duty to administer the last 
 Sacraments to the dying Father, he was the more 
 moved, as he had only lately lost two other mem¬ 
 bers of his community. 
 
 After all the touching rites were concluded, he 
 went up to the bedside, and, in a tone of 
 parental authority, ordered the Father, as soon as 
 he entered heaven, to claim the intercession of his 
 great patron, St. Jos. ph, in order that a worthy 
 substitute might be sent to fill his place in the 
 Society. The dying religious promised, and soon 
 after his soul passed away on the 6th of July. 
 
 Now, what came to pass ? 
 
 In the autumn of the same year twelve novices 
 presented themselves, and eight of them bore the 
 name of ‘ Joseph.’ Three more ‘ Josephs’ shortly 
 followed. 
 
 And among the number of these was reckoned 
 the name of the famous Father Kleutgen.* 
 
 * This name, so renowned in Germaay a few years ago. 
 may not be so well known to oar American readers, bat wa 
 did not like to change the text of the original. 
 
100 
 
 £T. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 3. A Touching Confession. 
 
 The following account was sent from a reliable 
 source to the ‘ Propagateur,’ concerning a touching 
 conversion at Cannes, in the south of France, 
 which was the work of our glorious Saint. 
 
 ‘In the beginning of the year 186—-1 gave to a 
 pious lady two copies of “ The Devotion for the 
 Seven Sundays of St. Joseph,” who immediately 
 commenced making them. 
 
 “A poor woman, the wife of a workman, came 
 one day to see her, and told of the grief she was 
 in on account of her husband, who had for many 
 years neglected his religion, and all her efforts to 
 convert him had hitherto been fruitless. Then 
 this good lady advised her to have recourse to St. 
 Joseph, and to keep the seven Sundays in his 
 honor, giving her for this purpose one of the above 
 mentioned copies. 
 
 “ The poor woman thanked her and began this 
 salutary devotion with great fervor and confidence, 
 which increased more and more the nearer she 
 came to the end of it. At last, in the seventh 
 week, firmly relying on the support of fhe holy 
 husband of Mary, she made a firm resolution that 
 she would dare a last attack, and speak once more 
 on a subject which she had been long forbidden 
 even to name. 
 
 u To encourage herself, she armed herself, if I 
 may say so, with a picture of S l . Joseph, and one 
 day, holding it up before her busbar d, she said to 
 him genlly : 
 
 “ O mon cher ami, if you would only take refuge 
 
101 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 in this blessed Saint, I am convinced that he 
 would obtain for you the grace of returning to 
 God.” 
 
 u To her intense surprise and great joy he 
 took the picture from her hand, looked at it 
 thoughtfully, then kissed it reverently, and 
 finally said that he would go to confession at once. 
 
 “ He carried out his good intention faithfully, 
 and received the Sacrament of Penance with good 
 dispositions and many tears, which were a proof 
 of his sincere contrition and desire of amendment. 
 The holy season of Lent was drawing to an end, 
 and a retreat for men was being given in the town. 
 This true convert followed all the exercises with 
 great fervor, and at the close of it had the happi¬ 
 ness of once again receiving Holy Communion. 
 
 “ Full of courage, he made a few days later a 
 public pilgrimage of thanksgiving to the ‘ Chapel 
 of Redemption,’ a short distance from Cannes; and 
 from this moment he never again relapsed into his 
 former irreligious life, often suffering in preference 
 great inconvenience, and making many sacrifices in 
 order to be able to assist at Holy Mass on Sundays 
 and holidays. And he always attributed his return 
 to God as a grace from St. Joseph, and esteemed 
 the simple little picture which h's wife had been in¬ 
 spired to shew him, more than asythinghe possessed 
 in the world.” 
 
102 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 4. A Lost Son Found Again. 
 
 Our only son, at eighteen years of age, failed to 
 pass his examinations. In consequence, such a 
 deep melancholy and depression gained possession 
 of him that he persuaded himself that his failure 
 must have been owing I o some weakening of his 
 mental faculties, and that he should never be able 
 to finish his studies. He wished to choose another 
 state in life. We believed this to be only an imagi¬ 
 nation, and so refused our consent. 
 
 A few days afterwards he secretly left us, with¬ 
 out saying one word of what he intended to do. 
 When he did not return home that evening, we felt 
 a sad presentiment that our child was gone 
 forever. 
 
 The police were at once acquainted with the cir¬ 
 cumstances of tie case, and every possible means 
 was used to discover the fugitive, but in vain. No 
 trace of the lost one was to be found. His unset¬ 
 tled state of mind led us to fear that he might have 
 been tempted to make away with himself, and for 
 ten whole months w© lived in indescribable grief 
 and anguish. 
 
 “ What can have become of our poor boy ? ” was 
 the question his mother and I asked ourselves from 
 morning to night. 
 
 The 18th of May, 1881, was the day of his flight; 
 on the 13th of March, 1882, two Little Sisters of 
 the Poor cam© to our house to solicit alms. Oa 
 this day I had been more than ever depressed, and 
 I felt a kind of yearning for the sympathy and as¬ 
 sistance of another, so I co fided my affliction to 
 
ST. JOSEPH'S HELP. 
 
 103 
 
 these good Sisters, entreating the help of their 
 prayers. 
 
 “ We are in the month of St. Joseph,” said one 
 of them; “if you would address yourself to him 
 with confidence ha would certainly aid you. Our 
 community shall begin a novena this evening ; unite 
 with us, and I am sure that on the feast of St. Jo 
 seph you will receive news of your son.” 
 
 I joined in this devotion with more earnestness 
 than I had ever before prayed, though I did not 
 venture to consider myself worthy of so prompt an 
 answer to my prayer; yet only a week after the 
 visit of the two nuns we received a letter from this 
 beloved son whom we were beginning to mourn as 
 dead. It was dated from England; in it he asked 
 our pardon for having left up, and begged to be 
 allowed to return. And on the 231 of March we 
 had the happiness of once more embracing him. 
 His letter had been written on the eve of the Eea&t 
 of St. Joseph. 
 
 He immediately resumed his studies, and after a 
 time successfully passed his examination. Still 
 better, never again has he caused ua the least anx¬ 
 iety; and, we, his parents, never pass a day with¬ 
 out thanking St. Joseph and recommending to him 
 the care of our child. 
 
 5. St. Joseph Helps in Every Distress. 
 
 A Benedictine nun writes the following ; 
 
 “St. Joseph is always kind, always merciful, but 
 sometimes he appears to be even lavish and prodi¬ 
 gal in the manner of bestowing his graces. In 
 
104 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 gratitude to this great patron of the interior life, 1 
 must relate the following account: 
 
 “ A young girl belonging to a good and highly- 
 esteemed family had received a careful education, 
 yet did not seem to have reaped the desired fruits 
 from it, for as she grew to the age of womanhood 
 she gave proofs of great levity of character, and 
 many other serious defects. 
 
 “The mother, who loved her child tenderly, 
 grieved exceedingly; and in her perplexity as to 
 the wisest course to be pursued, sought the advice 
 of one of her relations, a pious and sensible lady, 
 who recommended her to place her daughter under 
 the special care of St. Joseph, ai the best advocate 
 in all matters concerning our eternal salvation. 
 The mother followed her counsel, but it need hardly 
 be said that the young girl herself had no idea of 
 the many prayers in her behalf which from tha 
 day were unceasingly presented before the throne 
 of God by the pure hands of His earthly Fostert 
 Father ; yet she soon felt a great iaterior change 
 coming over her. Her thoughts became more S3* 
 rious; she began to be tired of worldly amuse¬ 
 ments, to despise vanity in her dress, and the frivo 
 lous conversation which had hitherto proved so 
 attractive to her now became distasteful. 
 
 “ Gradually, but very gradually, she improved in 
 every respect; virtue now delighted her as much 
 as it had formerly repelled her, she followed the 
 better inspirations of her soul, and soon her happy 
 mother could say: ‘ I do not know how it is, but 
 
 my child is so wonderfully changed.’ ” 
 
 The fidel ty to these fir t graces was a Eure m^ans 
 
6T. Joseph’s help. 
 
 105 
 
 of procuring others. This soul, so dear to St. 
 Joseph, was enlightened more and more, until it 
 received from God the privilege of a call to the re¬ 
 ligious life. 
 
 “This, which had formerly been her greatest 
 antipathy, became her only desire. Generously de¬ 
 spising all difficulties and treading under foot all 
 the worldly delights to which she had once devoted 
 herself she entered a religious community, and is 
 to this day an example of every virtue. 
 
 “Thanks to St. Joseph! her happiness is his 
 woik.” 
 
 6. A Good Inspiration. 
 
 “ A short time ago,” so wrote a student to the 
 Reverend Father Huguet, “ I was on the eve of a 
 most important examination in jurisprudence; it 
 was a Government examination, and as I am natu¬ 
 rally timid, I was very fearful about the result, not¬ 
 withstanding the great exertions I had previously 
 made. 
 
 ‘•Feeling very much disquieted, I at length made 
 a resolution to recommend myself in a special man¬ 
 ner to St. Joseph, promising him to snake my grati 
 tude public if he granted me the wished-for success 
 
 “ Reverend Father, the result exceeded my ex¬ 
 pectations. I never lost my presence of mind at 
 the examination, and in spite of the questions being 
 often puzzling and complex, I passed through all in 
 a satisfactory manner. To show you how plainly 
 this proceeded from the protection of St. Joseph, I 
 will relate a fact to you which I am ready, if neces¬ 
 sary, to confirm by oath. 
 
106 
 
 st. Joseph's help. 
 
 “On the eve of the examination I suddenly 
 seemed to see distinctly, one after another, all the 
 questions that would be proposed to me the next 
 day. I said without hesitation to a relation who 
 was with me at the time. 4 To morrow I shall b9 
 examined on such and such subjects.’ Nevertheless, 
 I was afraid of relyieg too much on a presentimei t 
 of this nature, knowing that young people a elrtb e 
 to illusions on such occasions. At the same time, 
 as I thought St. Joseph might possibly have a hand 
 in the matter, I resolved not to let it pass un¬ 
 noticed. 
 
 “The important day arrived. As I said before, I 
 felt no fear, and was able to answer all the questions 
 fluently. Wonderful to relate, these questions were 
 exactly the same as those which had come into my 
 nrnd so distinctly the day before. By this I 
 recognized the whole extent of the protection of 
 S c . Joseph. In communicating thia fact to you, I 
 fulfil my promise; and if others in my situation 
 should experience the same d ffieulty I advise them 
 to apply to St. Joseph, when they will c rteio'y 
 obtain a happy result. B. Balland, 1884 ” 
 
 7- The Little First Ccmmunioant. 
 
 A parish priest, in whose district infidelity causes 
 great corruption, relates the following touching c x- 
 perience: 
 
 It happened last year when the children of the 
 parish were in retreat preparatory to their Fitst 
 Communion. They were peacefully assembled in 
 the church around the pulpit, like young lambs 
 around their shepherd, while I, as their pastor, was 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 107 
 
 administering to them the spiritual food of the 
 Word of God in anticipation of feeding them with 
 the Bread of Angels. 
 
 The little assembly was listening with silent at¬ 
 tention, when suddenly a man dressed like a 
 workman entered. With sparkling eyes and an 
 angry countenance, he ran first to the right side, 
 then to the left, casting searching and scrutinizing 
 glances everywhere. 
 
 I quietly and gently asked him : 
 
 “ What do you want, my good man ?” 
 
 With a rough voice he answered: 
 
 “ I want my child.” The words so harshly and 
 loudly uttered evidently caused great disturbance 
 and fear among my little flock. Each one looked 
 anxious and troubled. 
 
 “Sir,” continued the man, “I demand my child, 
 atdatonce. His mother is a Catholic, but I am 
 not, and my son shall never be one either.” 
 
 “You surprise me, my friend,” I replied. “We 
 never receive a child to instruction for its Hirst 
 Communion if its Catholic Baptism is not most 
 clearly registered. Was not your son baptized in 
 the Catholic Church ?” 
 
 “Yes.” 
 
 “Were his godfather and his godmother 
 Catholics?” 
 
 “ They were.' 
 
 “ Had you not given your consent !” 
 
 “ At that time, yes; I was present.” 
 
 “ Well, my friend, is not your son still a Catho 
 lie ?” 
 
 “ Until now, I acknowledge, he has belonged to 
 
108 
 
 st. Joseph's help. 
 
 the religion of his mother, but from it's moment 
 he must belong to mine.” With these words he 
 seized the boy, whom I had previously brought up 
 to him, and shaking him by the arm, in a furious 
 tone exclaimed : “ G > aio9g ! out with you ; from 
 this day forward you will have to deal with me!” 
 
 The poor little fellow cast on me an imploring 
 look, and with tears he whispered : 
 
 “ O please, do not forsake me!” 
 
 I then tried to piece myself between the child 
 and the enraged father. All present were terrified, 
 and feared that I might become a victim of his 
 violent passion. In their excitement and anguish 
 many sobbed and cried aloud. But no harm hap¬ 
 pened to me ; the man even appeared somewhat to 
 quiet down 
 
 Now we became witnesses of a most touching in 
 cident. The dear child fell down on his kness, em 
 bracing his father’s feet, and in a voice broken with 
 emotion and tears but full of the most childlike 
 tenderness, he said: 
 
 “ Ob, my father! X will always be obedient, I will 
 leva you with all my heart; but, I beseech you, al¬ 
 low me to remain in the religion of my mother!” 
 
 His words became choked and inaudible, and 1 
 feared he would faint. 
 
 It was a heartrending scene! All were in tears, 
 the other children wept unrestrainedly. Yet the 
 father’s heart, hardened and faithless, was insensi¬ 
 ble to the dictates of natural affection. 
 
 But he wss sufficiently subdued to agree to wait 
 until the conclusion of the instruction and devo¬ 
 tions before forcing the child to go along with him. 
 
6T. Joseph’s help. 
 
 109 
 
 After the sermon, I saw the boy pale and trem¬ 
 bling. 
 
 “ You are afraid, my dear child ?” I said, and I 
 took his hand. 
 
 “ Oh, certainly,” he answered ; “lam afraid, but 
 moetly for my mother. She will surely be ill- 
 treated this evening.” 
 
 “ Go quietly with him,” I said; “ be very good 
 and obedient, and trust in God.” 
 
 He went. Not without painful compassion did I 
 see him walk away by the side of his father like an 
 innocent lamb, which follows where it is led, dumb 
 and without resistance. 
 
 When he was gone, wa all knelt down together, 
 and said a prayer for him, hoping much in favor of 
 this matter, which had so direct a claim on the 
 mercy of God. 
 
 Yet our hope seemed to be in vain. 
 
 The next day the retreat was continued, but one 
 place remained empty !—the boy did not come. 
 
 What happened ? An eye-witness a f terwards told 
 us. 
 
 When the father and son returned home, the man 
 raised his arm to strike his wife, but the child left 
 him no time; he sprang up, c aeped his arms round 
 his father’s neck, embracing him with all the power 
 of love ; and with many tears besought h'm in the 
 most ardent and tender manner to spare his mother, 
 and to allow him to make his first Commuiion. 
 
 The arm of the father dropped again from very 
 shame ; yet his hatred for religion remained undi- 
 minished. The next day he took the boy with him 
 to work, and kept a watchful eye over his move- 
 
110 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 ments. A deep sadness now seemed to settle on 
 the poor child ; he wept day and night, and could 
 not ©at. He heard the bell daily summoning 
 his more fortunate companions to their religious in¬ 
 struction, while he alone was debarred from shar¬ 
 ing their joyful preparation. Each stroke of the bell 
 increased his sadness; as the Psalmist says: “ His 
 heart and flesh were pinirg away for the Altar of 
 Lis God.” 
 
 The feast of St. Joseph was the day chosen for 
 the First Communion. 
 
 I glanced over the lines of children, all dear to 
 my heart, and noticed with pain the absence of one 
 little figure, even more loved by me than all the 
 rest, because he was so sorely tried. His place was 
 still vacant. 
 
 “Oh, my Jesus!” I sighed, “Thou surely wilt not 
 let this chosen lamb of Thy flock perish!” 
 
 All at once there was a stir among tie ranks— 
 something seemed to have happened. The bright 
 faces of the expectant children grew more joyful 
 still, and I beard whispers: “There he i ! th re he 
 is!” And, oh! thanks to God a~d St. Joseph, my 
 eyes rested again on the beloved child, whom I had 
 been so deeply mourning. His face was pale, bsar- 
 ing traces of his past suff ring, but his countenance 
 was peaceful and serene, and as he approached the 
 Holy Table to receive his Lord he looked sweet and 
 pure as an angel. 
 
 How had it happened? 
 
 The boy, when taken away by his father, had, 
 like us, had recourse to St. Joseph, and the glorious 
 Saint had taken this innocent child's heart under 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 Ill 
 
 the protection of his Lily Sceptre. He had hidden 
 this young confeseor under the folds of the mantle 
 with which he had encircled Jesus in his fl ght into 
 Egypt.. 
 
 The irreligious father bad been overcome by the 
 holy Foster-Father of Jesus, and had yielded to 
 his son’s desire; and thus we bad the joy of seeing 
 him return to us free and happy. 
 
 8. The Story of a Conversion. 
 
 Listen now, how a young spiritualist has been 
 converted by means of a medal of the pure Spouse 
 of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The fact was com¬ 
 municated to me by the young men himself. 
 
 Emmanuel M-- was born near Cognac (D p. 
 
 Cbarente), and had the misfortune of losing his 
 parents, when he was scarcely twenty-one years of 
 age. 
 
 Finding himself the possessor of a considerable 
 property, he set no bounds to his luxury and ex¬ 
 travagance. In Baden alone he lost in a short time 
 more than 100 000 francs at the gambling tables. 
 Also being a fervent apostle of spiritualism, he left 
 no means untried to win disciples. I had often 
 occasion to see him, and tie sight of this poor 
 youth running headlong in the path of destruction 
 moved me to exceeding pity for him. 
 
 One day when he was just setting off on a jour¬ 
 ney, I gave him a medal of St. Joseph, saying to 
 him at the same time, “ Take great care of this 
 medal; it will entitle you to the protection of 
 which you stand so much in need.” 
 
 S x weeks later, this medal was destined by the 
 
112 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 mercy cf God to be the means of saving this erring 
 soul from everlasting death. 
 
 At Montelimar, Emmanuel was attacked by a 
 straige and severe illness, suffering much from vio¬ 
 lent epasms and attacks of suffocation, such as he 
 had never esperienced before. While he was lying 
 one r ight on his sick-bed, cue eyes of his soul were 
 suddenly enlightened; he seemed «o see the abyss 
 of hell open before him, and threatening to engulf 
 him, and he thought he heard the roaring and 
 scornful laughter of the devils. 
 
 He called for the servant who was sleeping in 
 the ns xt room, but he could not make himself heard. 
 As he believed that his last hour was come, he 
 wished to bum certain private letters, and with 
 much pain and difficulty dragged himself across 
 the room to fetch them out of the pocket of his 
 cloak. While looking for them, he happened to 
 come across his medal of St. Joseph. 
 
 It was a sudden inspiration ! He pressed it to 
 his heart and lips ; he conjured the glorious Patri¬ 
 arch to ask pardon for him of Almighty God; he 
 promised to convert himself, and to go to confes¬ 
 sion that very day, if the life which he had so mis¬ 
 used and misspent should be spared. 
 
 Oh miracle of Divine mercy! Oh wonderful 
 power of St. Joseph! how prompt you are in com¬ 
 ing to our aid. 
 
 Scarcely had this unfortunate man, who had been 
 struggling for six hours with death, called upon St. 
 Joseph, than he fell into a gentle and refreshing 
 sleep. In the morning when he awoke he found 
 his medal still pressed to his heart. As he had 
 
8T. Joseph's help. 
 
 113 
 
 promised, lie made a very sincere confession—the 
 first for ten years. 
 
 Afterwards, actuated by a spirit of thanksgiving 
 and desire of doing penance, he undertook a jour¬ 
 ney to the Holy Land. This pious pilgrimage was 
 followed by others to Loretto and to La Sainte 
 Baume, in order to venerate there the tomb of the 
 model and patroness of penitents. 
 
 Finally this converted libertine and atheist made 
 his home near Lyons, where, we believe, he still 
 lives, leading a holy and exemplary life, beloved 
 alike by God and man. 
 
 9. The Successful Examination. 
 
 A pious lady living in Paris, filled with z°al for 
 the honor of St. Joseph, and having had personal 
 experience of the great graces bestowed by this 
 Holy Patriarch, wrote thus to Pere Huguet: 
 
 “ I am full of confidence in St. Joseph, and have 
 I not reason to be so ? Are we not daily witnesses 
 of the most encouraging and wonderful occur¬ 
 rences ? 
 
 “ Some days ago the wife of an officer came to 
 me to complain of her great trials, and, indeed, I 
 have often bad occasion to compassionate her on 
 account of the bad treatment which she receives 
 from her worthless husband. 
 
 “ The lady herself is a good Catholic, and just 
 now the point of dispute was regarding their son, a 
 youth about seventeen years of age, who, in conse¬ 
 quence of a chest disease, was rather behindhand 
 in his studies. The father, only anxious that he 
 should pass certain examinations for which he did 
 
114 
 
 St. Joseph’s help. 
 
 not as yet feel ready, tormented the boy unceas¬ 
 ingly, without any regard for his weak health. 
 
 “As the best comfort I could think of, I gave the 
 lady two medals of St. Joseph to sew into the 
 clothes of her husband and son, and began a novena 
 in union with several other persons, the last day of 
 which was to be on the 18th of September, the very 
 day of the so much dreaded examination. The morn¬ 
 ing arrived only too soon, and as his father insisted on 
 his at least making the attempt, the boy appeared, pale 
 andtr mbling, among the ranks of the other competi¬ 
 tors. Naturally, he was far f rom being equal to them, 
 but he had with him a heavenly protector, whom per¬ 
 haps none of the rest of that thoughtless, eager your g 
 crowd had thought of invoking for light and aid. 
 His mother, when she bade him farewell, consoled 
 him aid encouraged him, saying confidently: “ Go, 
 my child, in obedience to your father, and God will 
 bless you! You will pass your examination well, 
 as many devout souls are praying for you to Mary 
 and Joseph.” 
 
 The mother’s words were a true prophecy, and 
 in the evening he returned home happy and suc- 
 eesssfu), and full of gratitude as well as astonish¬ 
 ment ; for, as he confessed, he could not possibly 
 have answered questions on subjects which were 
 almost unknown to him unless he had a very special 
 grace and a sistance. 
 
 10. St. Joseph Saves Two Clerics FB r M the 
 
 Oinscription. 
 
 Two young clerics, who were in the Ecclesiastical 
 Seminary at Toscana, became liable to be called 
 
e t. Joseph's help. 
 
 115 
 
 upon for military service. Both were poor, a xd 
 their parents were unable to provide the sum cf 
 money necessary to procure substitutes for them. 
 In their distress they felt inspired to commit the 
 matter to the care of St. Joseph. They therefore 
 united in prayer with a cert am number of their 
 friends, and made a vow, the conditions of which 
 they promised to carry out if they were freed from 
 the obligations which threatened them. Humanly 
 speakicg, there was not the very least hope of their 
 escaping the conscription; on the contrary, they 
 had every reason to expect to have shortly to 
 change the “soutane” for a soldier’s uniform! 
 
 Time went on, the dreaded day drew nearer and 
 nearer, and Sh Joseph gave no sign to lead them 
 to expect deliverance. But he was only withhold¬ 
 ing his help, to test and to strengthen their confi¬ 
 dence- For so it was that it happened in a very 
 remarkable but perfectly regular and lawful manner 
 that before the day for drawing for the conscrip¬ 
 tion came the names of both these young men were 
 struck (if the lists. 
 
 Upon hearing this they not only fulfilled their 
 vow with great joy, but took every opportunity of 
 publishing this favor of St. Joseph, in order to en¬ 
 courage others to place confidence in the inter¬ 
 cession of this great Patriarch. 
 
 11. A High Number. 
 
 “ On the 21sfc of January, 1882, the conscription 
 took place in our town,” so writes a schoolmistress, 
 “ and it became a day of sorrow for many a mother’s 
 heart. 
 
116 
 
 st. Joseph's help. 
 
 “At the commencement of school that morning 
 a little girl of seven years of age threw herself into 
 my arms bathed in tears. 
 
 “‘Oh, FiauleinF she cried, ‘my mother is weep¬ 
 ing so much; she fears that my brother will be 
 taken for a soldier, and I am so sorry.’ 
 
 “I share in thy sorrow, my child, but we must 
 say ‘ the will of God be don© ’ in all things. 
 
 “ After a few moments of silence, the child sud¬ 
 denly lifted up her little head j a smile was on her 
 lips, a ray of hope shone through her tears. 
 
 “ ‘ Let us ask St. Joseph to take care that my 
 brother should draw a good number. Oh! how I 
 will love St. Joseph, if he will do this, and how I 
 will tell everyone about his kindness.’ 
 
 “ She spoke so fervently, her little hands 
 clasped tight together, as if she fully expected 
 to get all she desired now that she appealed to 
 St. Joseph. 
 
 “ When the usual time for prayers came, 1 told 
 the children about the trouble of their little com¬ 
 panion. Never was prayer made more fervently. 
 Just as we were concluding, the great clock of the 
 clurch tower struck ten. 
 
 “ ‘ That is the hour, Fraulein,’ exclaimed all the 
 children in a breath. But looks and hearts of all 
 turned towards the statue of our good Father. 
 ‘ St. Joseph, thou friend of the Sacred Heart, pray 
 for us.’ So prayed the little ones. And at that 
 very time the brother of the little girl drew or e of 
 the very highest numbers, and so escaped military 
 service. 
 
 “ Who would not recognise in this more than a 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 117 
 
 mare accident? Who will not acknowledge in it 
 the powerful influence of St. Joseph?” 
 
 12. The Last Days of One Condemned to Death. 
 
 At the Assizes in A-in the year 185—, a 
 
 man guilty of highway robbery and murder was 
 condemned to death. 
 
 The circumstances of his crime were of 
 such a frightful nature that the jury could 
 find no reason to moderate the sentence, nor to 
 recommend him to mercy. At first the prisoner 
 had obstinately denied his guilt, but as proof after 
 proof was brought forward, he became silent. 
 
 He heard his sentence with a stolid, hard in¬ 
 difference. When the judge exhorted him in 
 moving terms to try and prepare while he had time 
 for his judgment at a higher tribunal, it seemed to 
 make no impression at all upon the unfortunate 
 man. Silently, and with an expression of obstinate 
 stubbornness, he suffered himself to be led out of 
 the ball of justice to the cell of the condemned 
 criminals, into which he was locked. 
 
 The crime the unhappy man had committed 
 seemed to have the effect of brutalizirg him com¬ 
 pletely. No persuasion of the priest, who was 
 chaplain of the prison, could induca him to speak; 
 every effort to soften him seemed as ineffectual as 
 if he had been made of stone. 
 
 Some pious nuns, who, to the great satisfaction 
 of the Government, took care of the criminals, did 
 all in their power to break through his obduracy, 
 but all was in vain. Dumb, morose and sullen, 
 the poor wretch sat in one corner of his cell, and 
 
118 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 could be induced to pay no attention whatever to 
 anything. 
 
 “Prayer is our only resource,” said Sister 
 Veronica to the other nuns; “in this case no human 
 power can avail. It is terrible!” 
 
 And the good Sisters did pray more for this poor 
 man even than for any of the other criminals, his 
 case seemed so desperate. 
 
 One morning Sister Veronica, when she came to 
 the cell, set down the water bottle which she had 
 brought, took a small hammer from out of her 
 girdle and a nail from her pocket, and proceeded, 
 without saying a word, to fasten a little picture of 
 St. Joseph to the wall. She noticed that the 
 prisoner was for the first time watching what she 
 did attentively, so, as she turned to go away, she 
 said : 
 
 “That is a picture of St. Joseph, the patron 
 saint of the dying.” 
 
 Whatever hopes the transient arousing of his at¬ 
 tention may have awakened, seemed doomed to 
 disappointment. The prisoner relapsed again into 
 his dogged indifference-nothing roused, nothing 
 touched him. When the Sister brought 
 him his dinner the picture hung on 
 the wall untouched, and the prisoner sat 
 crouching in his C 3 ruer. The kindly words 
 the Sister spoke were unnoticed, excepting that 
 once she heard him give a deep sigh, as with his 
 head resting on both hands he sat staring at the 
 ground. This went on for many weeks, for it 
 happened that the ratification of the sentence of 
 death was unusually long in coming. The chaplain 
 
£ T. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 119 
 
 often came and corjured the unhappy man to £eek 
 reconciliation with God, but he could not get one 
 word in answer to all his exhortations. 
 
 The Sisters prayed more and more fervently, but 
 apparently without success. 
 
 At last the corfirma ory judgment arrived, and 
 the second day after its rcceptiou was that fixed 
 upon for the execution of the criminal. AU the 
 particulars were arranged; the officer in charge 
 proceeded to the ctll of the condemned man to in¬ 
 form him that the ratification of the sentence had 
 come, and to try and awaken him to the fact of the 
 terrible earnestness cf the hour so fast approach¬ 
 ing for him. Bister Veronica told the officer be¬ 
 fore he entered the cell that he would find a great 
 charge in the prisoner—that for the last few days 
 he had seemed quite another man, although he had 
 not yet broken the silence he had preserved ever 
 since bis condemnation. When the official and his 
 attendants entered the cell they found the un¬ 
 fortunate man sitting in his usual attitude, but the 
 du 1, obdurate expession on his face had given 
 place to a look of quiet mildness. He appeared to 
 take no notice whatever of those who came in, nor 
 gave the s ighest sign that he even understood 
 what was going on. 
 
 Not even an eyelash moved when the officer read 
 ont the day and the hour fixed for his execution. 
 At length looking up, he sa d: 
 
 “ I krew that it would be one day this week, and 
 I thought it would be Friday.” 
 
 The official then began to persuade him to pre¬ 
 pare himself to die as a Christian. 
 
120 
 
 st. Joseph's help. 
 
 “ Have I not already told you that I knew that I 
 must die this week; since I have known that, you 
 may be sure I have been preparing myself. I need 
 no exhortation from you, Herr Procurator. You 
 have done your duty, that is sufficient.” 
 
 The officer was startled. 
 
 “What do you say, you knew?” he asked with 
 surprise. 
 
 “That I had to die this week,” was the an¬ 
 swer. 
 
 “Sincewhen have you known this?” he ques¬ 
 tioned further. 
 
 “ Since Monday I have known it,” replied the 
 criminal. 
 
 The officer put his hand to his head in perplexity. 
 He bad the document containing the royal confir¬ 
 mation of the sentence in his hand; it had only 
 arrived late the previous evening. He had not said 
 a single word to any one about it till that morning. 
 How could the criminal in his solitary cell have had 
 certain information concerning his execution since 
 Moo day? Casually he glanced down the parch 
 ment; it was certainly strange and very remarkable. 
 The royal signature was dated last Monday! 
 How could the prisoner have received an intimation 
 of his fate? 
 
 “ It is not possible that you can have known this 
 since Monday*” exclaimed the officer, excitedly; 
 “ his Majesty only signed the warrant on Monday. 
 How, then, could it possibly have been known to 
 you ? ” 
 
 “I have known it,” replied the prisoner, quietly; 
 “how is another matter,” and here, for the first 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 121 
 
 time, he changed color, his eyes moistened and 
 sought the ground. 
 
 He had risen, and had been standing while he 
 spoke ; now he fixed his eyes upon the little picture 
 of St Joseph, and seemed to go through some 
 sharp conflict within himself. After some moments, 
 turning to th8 officer, he said : 
 
 “ Yes, I will tell you how I come to know. It is 
 wjnderful enough for a man like me, you will say, 
 but still it happened. And I thank God it did.” 
 He sat down again then, as if he could thus relate 
 better what he had to tell. “ I have deserved death 
 —the sentence pronounced upon me is just. But 
 to know that I had to die soon whi'stin full health, 
 and not to know when, that was what I could not 
 bear. That it might be to-morrow, or might not be 
 for weeks; that any day it might be announced to 
 me that I must die to-morrow—but not to know 
 for certain. This uncertainty was what was so t r- 
 rible to me. All that the priest said to me from 
 the beginning was true, but it only tormented me, 
 because of the agony of the uncertainty. I did not 
 know when, but only that I had to die—it was this 
 that made it so bitterly hard. Then one day the 
 Sister fastened that picture to the wall. St. Jo¬ 
 seph, the Sister told me, was the patron of the 
 dying, but she did not know that he was abo 
 my patron saint. Ah! I have thought a great deal 
 since I have been in here—a great deal of bo b 
 good and bad. But up till that day it had been 
 chiefly bad. But then came remembrances of how, 
 when I was a child, I had been taught to reverence 
 my patron saint! Ah, if I had only done it, I 
 
122 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 •> 
 
 should not be here now ! When the Sister left me 
 I went up to the picture, stood before it, and 
 looked at it as something that in my childhood had 
 been dear and holy to me. After a time I gathered 
 confidence and began to pray very quietly. But 
 the terror that was upon me, of the uncertainty of 
 the time that the death that was so certain would 
 come upon me, was more than I could bear. Sud¬ 
 denly ! That it should come quite suddenly was 
 my fear. If I only cjuld know when it would ba— 
 if only I might know for certain just a few days 
 before-then I thought I would try to prepare in 
 earnest. But I did not know when it would be, 
 and when I did know I should not have time to 
 prepara. So it came into my mind to ask Almighty 
 God a special grace through the intercession of St. 
 Joseph. The priest had said that the mercy of 
 God was beyond measura infinite, and that if the 
 sinner oniy approached Him in the way Ha had ap¬ 
 pointed, nothing could limit His mercy. So I 
 asked St. Joseph to obtain for me a sign when I 
 was to die within a week.” 
 
 “And what was the sign?” here broke in the 
 officer. 
 
 “Oh, it was a very simple sign,” continued the 
 prisoner. “ Up to that day the same Sister who 
 had fastened the picture to the wall had always 
 brought me my dinner; if one day another came in 
 her place, then, so I thought, I should consider it 
 a sign from St. Joseph that in that week the af¬ 
 firmation of my sentence would arrive. And so it 
 happened. Last Monday a strange Sister brought 
 me my dinner. By that I knew how it stood with 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 123 
 
 me, and at once began to prepare myself for death. 
 So you see that God deigns to hear even the great¬ 
 est sinners if they turn to Him humbly and wish 
 contrition, especially if they have th© help of so 
 powerful an intercessor as I had,” and he pointed 
 gratefully to the picture of bis patron saint, 
 “ whose aid I certainly have not invoked in vain!” 
 
 All this was uttered by the criminal with such a 
 calm assurance, such a perfect resignation, that it 
 seemed as if he took it all as a matter of course. 
 He now begged that the priest might be sent for, 
 and that ho might be left alone with him, “ to close 
 his heavy account definitely,” as he expressed it. 
 
 The officials thereupon departed, not a little as¬ 
 tonished and touched at the change that had taken 
 place in lha once so hardened criminal. Before 
 they left the house, Sister Veronica was, however, 
 sent for, to be questioned as to whether the change 
 of Sisters, so significant to the prisoner, had rea ly 
 occurred or net. The good Sister was no less sur¬ 
 prised, when the officer repeated the story related 
 to him by the prisoner, than he himself had been 
 upon first hearing it. 
 
 “ Last Monday !” and Sister Veronica thought 
 over it for a moment—“Last Monday; oh, yes ! he 
 is right, I remember it all now; it was last Mon¬ 
 day thst just as I had reached the dcor of his cel 
 with his dinner, and was only waiting for the jailer 
 to open the doir, Sister Clare came running to 
 fetch me, saying that the Superior wanted me di¬ 
 rectly. So I put the dish of food into her hands 
 to take in to him whilst I went off to the Keverend 
 Mother. Thus it happened that for that once I 
 
124 
 
 bt. Joseph’s help. 
 
 d d not serve Ih© piisoner myself. There was no 
 other reason. And so after all it was SI. Joseph!” 
 Bhe exel& med. “It was like an inspiration, my 
 thinking of putting up that picture on the wall, and 
 now I can understand the alteration in his manner 
 since Monday. May God be forever blessed.” 
 
 She then fetched the Keverend Mother that she 
 might hear these particulars from the officer. The 
 chaplain was called for at once, ar d he was told 
 how it was with the piisoner, and what had hap¬ 
 pened. He listened with great surprise, but shook 
 his head, as if he could not credit so great a change 
 in one who had for so long remained obdurate. 
 But nevertheless he hastened to the cell of the 
 condemned, and found him on his knees before the 
 picture of St. Joseph. He then related again in 
 short to the priest what had happened, and main¬ 
 tained a fi m conviction that he might indeed hope 
 for grace since God had so graciously deigned to 
 give him the sign he had asked for. 
 
 Then it also came cut that the poor man had 
 been far from unmindful of his soul from 
 the first moment of his condemnation, and that 
 not one word the priest had said during 
 his repeated exhortations had been lost, but 
 treasured up and laid to heart. But nothing until 
 the granting him that sign, as he called it, had un¬ 
 locked his heart. 
 
 And now, already prepared, he made at once a 
 general and contrite confession. During the rest 
 of that day he hardiy let the priest out of sight for 
 a moment. Early the next morning he assisted at 
 the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in a most edifying 
 
6T. Joseph's help. 
 
 125 
 
 manner, and with ai abundarca of tears received 
 Holy Communion. He then prayed with the priest 
 and all present, that he might have courage ar d 
 strength to go through the last painful journey he 
 wa3 soon to take. 
 
 He was then led into the court of the prison, 
 where the guillotine awaited him. His step was 
 firm and his look tranquil; and he expressed such 
 deep contrition, and resignation that all present 
 were more edified by the Christian fortitude he 
 evinced than terrified by the awfulness of the 
 spectacle. 
 
 13. A Miraculous Oil Lamp of St. Joseph. 
 
 We have received the following account from 
 Riemange, near Trieste: 
 
 “ A church here, which is attached to the parish 
 of Dolina, was originally dedicated to S\ George, 
 but in it was an altar dedicated to St Joseph. In 
 earlier times there existed also a large confraternity 
 in honor of the glorious Foster Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. This had been established and con¬ 
 firmed by Pope Innocent XII., in 1693. 
 
 “That this confraternity was very large and 
 devout, is proved by the numerous answers to 
 prayer, attested by ex votos which s’.ill remain. As 
 also the existence of a miraculous oil lamp which 
 used to burn before the altar of St. Joseph, and is 
 still at the present day fo be s en hanging before 
 the high altar of the church, which hag been newly- 
 erected in honor of St. Joseph. 
 
 ‘‘Concerning this miraculous lamp there exists 
 
126 
 
 ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 an old document, written by the parish priest of 
 the time, which relates the following occurrence: 
 
 “ 4 For soma time,” so ifcruns, 4 ‘ a rumor had been 
 prevalent among the people that the lamp hanging 
 before St. Joseph's a tar was always found to be 
 al-ghfc aid burning brightly, in spite of its having 
 been again and again extinguished. The parish 
 priest appeared to taka no heed of the report at 
 first, but, nevertheless, he thought much over this 
 strange occurrence and determined to have the 
 matter thoroughly investigated and proved. He 
 therefore sent for the parish priest of Dolica, and 
 called the church-wardens and some others to¬ 
 gether. They all went to iha church, the sacristan 
 put out the lamp carefully, ©very approach to it 
 was securely shut and fastened up, the church doors 
 were locked and sealed, and all was carefully ex¬ 
 amined, In order to secure that no entrance to the 
 church was possible. The parish priest of Dolma 
 took charge of the keys, and gave orders to the 
 church-wardens to watch the church with all possi¬ 
 ble care, and if through the grated and barr d 
 windows they should perceive a light in the church, 
 immediately to inform him. After some time of 
 careful watching the lamp was observed to be 
 burning; this was on the 27 h of March, 1749. 
 At once the parish priest was sent for, the doors, 
 seals aid barricades were all examined and found 
 untouched. The bishop was informed of the fac 
 and before him the witnesses deposed on oath to 
 the truth of these statements.’ 
 
 44 In consequence of this miraculous event, the 
 church was rebuilt and dedicated to St. Joseph, 
 
ST. JOSEPH S HELP. 
 
 127 
 
 and the confraternity then took agreaiei* extension 
 as may be seen from the register of names of mem¬ 
 bers. The last name registered was in 1828, tinee 
 then the confraternity seems to have d’ed c u' 5 but 
 devotion to St. Joseph still exists among the peo¬ 
 ple, and especially on the eve and day of his feast, 
 when the church is crowded with devout worship¬ 
 pers and pilgrims. 
 
 “ It is much to be desired that this confraternity 
 should again revive, and that devotion to our dear 
 saint, the star of the nineteenth century, should 
 spread and take deep root in the hearts of the 
 people.” _ 
 
 The Feast or St. Joseph—19th op March. 
 
 As each year comes round, St. Joseph grants us 
 fresh graces on Lis feast. We could wish that our 
 little work could this year carry our thanksgiving 
 abroad throughout all lands, for his favors have 
 been greater and more numerous than ever. 
 
 S v . Teresa, the saintly foundress of so many 
 convents of Carmelites, has m her writings borne 
 the followirg testimony to the efficacy of the inter¬ 
 cession of St. Joseph, and her testimony is indis- 
 pu able. She writes thus in her life: 
 
 “For the celebration of the Feast of St. Joseph 
 I exerted myself with the utmost fervor. My 
 greatest desire was that it should be kept with all 
 possible grandeur acd solemnity. For by this time 
 I knew something by long experience of the great¬ 
 ness of the honor in which he is held by G;d 
 Wouldtta i I cou'd persuade the whole world to 
 honor him by an especial cui us! I have always 
 
128 
 
 st. Joseph's help. 
 
 observed that people who lave a true and practical 
 devotion to St. Joseph succeed in the acquisition of 
 virtues much more rapidly than others, for this 
 heavenly protector takes a very great interest in 
 the advancement of those souls who recommend 
 themselves to him. I have myself, for many years 
 past, always asked him for some particular grace 
 on his feast-daj, and I have never asked in vain.” 
 
 One of the most pious of the daughters of S'. 
 Teresa, who tried os closely as she could to folk w 
 in the footsteps of her beloved Mother, was the 
 Venerable Mother Anne of Jesus, who, when sent 
 to France, burned with a like desire to glorify St 
 Joseph. After the opening of the church of their 
 monastery at D jon, in the year 1637, upon the 
 first occurrence of hia feast she determined to keep 
 it with all the splendor possible. 
 
 The Blessed Sacrament was esposed for the day, 
 they bad beautiful music, a celebrated preacher was 
 invited, an immense congregation assembled; in 
 fact, she did everything she could think of to make 
 the saint’s festival glorious. 
 
 After the solemnity was over our Lord let His 
 Spouse know how p easing this feast had been to 
 Him, and that Ho wisi: ed that it should be celebrated 
 < ach year with equal pomp, and also [that her 
 action had obtained many graces for the house, 
 both special and general. Her Divine Master like¬ 
 wise assured her that souls of extraordinary sanc¬ 
 tity, and possessed of great spiritual gifts, shou’d 
 he called to that house; and the after-history of the 
 convent bore ample testimony to the fact that the 
 prediction was filfilled. 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 129 
 
 Thus Mother Anne of Jesus inspired all 
 with great devotion to tbeir glorious pro¬ 
 tector. Every day he was invoked by the commu¬ 
 nity for special graces. Oae g ace in particular 
 they always asked for, namely, that no postulant 
 might be received into the community who wordd 
 prove afterwards unfaithful to her vocation, and 
 this favor has always been accorded to them in a 
 very marked and astonishing manner. For Divine 
 Providence has so ordered that several times, can¬ 
 didates who at first were considered most eligible, 
 and would have been regarded as decided acquisi¬ 
 tions ; either on account of their connection, or 
 spiritual gifts, or great fortunes, have either been 
 unexpectedly refused, or else have themselves 
 changed their minds at the last moment. And 
 each one of these c*ses proved subsequently that 
 S’. Joseph had been active in his protection of the 
 monssery. 
 
 The 19th of March brings to us also the remem¬ 
 brance of the death of Su. Joseph; at least it does 
 so if we allow ourselves to be influenced by the 
 very old and pious tradition which ascribes the 
 event to this day. 
 
 Let us, therefore, go back in spirit to that long 
 past time, and let us silently enter the little house 
 of Nazareth, at the very moment whan the soul of 
 St. Joseph took its departure from this world. 
 
 Our Divine Redeemer Himself closed the eyes of 
 this “Just one,” and after havitg eccomp ished 
 this du ; y of l:v®, He wept sweet tears of fender- 
 ress and affection over His Faster-Father. T^e 
 Immaculate Virgin mingled her tears with those of 
 
130 
 
 bt. Joseph’s help. 
 
 her Divine Son. Oh! what a favored death-bed ; 
 watered with the tears of a God-Man, and with 
 those of the Mother of God ! 
 
 The venerable body of the deceased lies there, 
 as if already in part glorified. Surely never before 
 had such a look of sublime repose rested upon any 
 countenance. His limbs were still as flexible as 
 in life, and an odor sweeter than that which has 
 ever since been diffused from the bodies of any of 
 the saints, perfumes the air. For never was sanc¬ 
 tity comparable to the sanctity of St J oseph. 
 
 Whilst silence and devotion reign beside this holy 
 corpse j whilst angels bend to look upon it with rapt 
 admiration; whilst Jesus and Mary g've expres¬ 
 sion to their gentle grief, let us draw nearer to the 
 mortal remains of the holy Patriarch. And first let 
 us with reverence venerate this noble head which 
 was found worthy to be initiated into the secrets 
 of God, and to which the confidences of the 
 Omnipotent were imparted ; this head, which had 
 to endure such anxious thoughts, such harassing 
 cares, anxieties and afflictions in connection with the 
 secret Incarnation of the Word of God; this head 
 in which the thought of God, and of His glory, ever 
 reigned pre-eminent, and into which no shadow of 
 a thought contrary to the law of God ever gained 
 admittance ; this head, which during the Sacred In¬ 
 fancy so often supported that of the Incarnate 
 Word, which thus resting upon it, cast as it were 
 some of its own glory over it, crowning it in some 
 sort with a diadem from His Divinity; this head 
 which, as the last sigh escaped his lips, was blessed 
 and honored by the kiss of the Son of God! 
 
ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 131 
 
 We salute thee! Oh! blessed head which ia 
 Heaven is now crowned with so glorious a crown ! 
 
 Let us now approach the feet of the Holy Pa¬ 
 triarch. Let us kneel and reverently kisa those holy 
 feet; every step they took was either for the 
 ove of God, for Jesus, for the ever Blessed Virgin, 
 or for us. 
 
 And lastly, l6t us venerate those glorious hands 
 which lie folded so meekly upon his breast. Their 
 day’s work is done ; never will they have to labor 
 more except it be in distributing those favors and 
 graces which Jesus and Mary, through them, be¬ 
 stow on us from Heaven. 
 
 With fai f h and love let us press our lips upon 
 those holy hands, and oh ! let us, in anticipation of 
 that last hour so soon approaching for each of us, 
 entreat the protection of those strong arms of S f . 
 Joseph. Nay, let us do more ; let us fly for refuge 
 to his heart; let us hide ourselves with'n its inmost 
 recesses, and beg him to protect us, both during 
 life and in the hour of our death. 
 
 Let us say to him as Jac b said to the angel of 
 old: “ Non dimittam donee benediceris mihi .” “ I 
 will not let thee go until thou bless me.” 
 
 And as this grace of a good death and entrance 
 into Heaven is one of such vital importance to us, 
 )et us after we have fervently besought St. 
 Joseph’s protection, turn also to Jesus and 
 Mary. Let us not lose this moment, we ©re 
 sure to gain a hearing now, see, while 
 they still weep over him, whose eyes they have 
 just closed. Let us plead with them. “ For the 
 sake of him yr,u mourn, for the sake of St. Joseph, 
 
132 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 for the sake of his sweet death, for the sake of the 
 tears you have mutually shed, we beseech and im 
 plore you, O Jesus and Mary! in union with St. 
 Joseph, bestow upon us your blessirg for our last 
 hour. O Divine Redeemer, O merciful Virgin 
 Mother! keep for us, we entreat you, one such 
 glance of pity and loving compassion, as you have 
 just bestowed upon the dying Joseph, with which 
 to bless us in our last agony.” 
 
 rv— ST. JOSEPH OUR HELPER IN THE 
 HOUR OF DEATH. 
 
 1. St. Joseph the Patron of a Happy Death. 
 
 Our readers, doubtless in lading before St. 
 Joseph their various necessities have pleaded often 
 for that, the most important of a 1 ), the grace of a 
 happy death. Indeed as St. Joseph died in the 
 arms of Jesus and Mary, he is very naturally hon¬ 
 ored and invoked es the special patron of thf hour 
 of death. Innumerable histories aid in confirm¬ 
 ing our confidence in the intercession of this glori 
 ous saint as the patron of a holy death. We will 
 here first relate a beautiful instance which was told 
 to us as a fact by a friend, in the year 1879. 
 
 “Joseph Carvrlho, a Brazilian, was my fel¬ 
 low-student at the Jesuit College at Field- 
 kirch; he was descended from the family of 
 that Marquis of Pombal who acqu red such a 
 sad celebrity by the unjust persecution of the 
 Portuguese Jesuits. This youth having returned to 
 his country, fell into a consumption, and after having 
 been for some time confined to bis bed in the house 
 
ST. JOSEPH S HELP. 
 
 133 
 
 of his guardian, felt the u- mistakable symptoms of 
 dea h approaching. Joseph then begged most 
 earnestly that he might have the assistance of a 
 priest; but his guardian, who was a determined and 
 inveterate Freemason, would by no means allow 
 any priest to be admitted into his house. 
 
 The dying youth upon hearing this, was much 
 grieved and distressed, aad finding himself de 
 prived of all human hope, ha had recourse in his 
 extremity to prayer, and most fervently invoked his 
 dear Patron St. Joseph. 
 
 Soon after this a merchant presented himself at 
 the house of the heartless guardian, and requested 
 to speak with the invalid; as no suspicions were 
 entertained he was admitted into the sick room; 
 arter a short conversation he discovered himself to 
 Joseph as a p'iest and a religious. 
 
 “I have heard,” he said, “of your distress, and 
 that you so longed for the help of a priest. I am 
 cime to receive your confession.” 
 
 The poor young man made his confession, and 
 the priest having giving him absolution, promised 
 to return in two days and bring him the Holy 
 Viaticum. 
 
 When he came, however, on the second day, he 
 found only the corpse of the poor lad. 
 
 But surely St. Joseph who had so mercifully 
 procured him the benefit of the one Sacrament to 
 protect him in his dying hour, will have continued 
 to assist him, and will, we may hope and trust, 
 have helped him to make a holy and peaceful end. 
 
134 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 2. The Last Moments of a Papal Zouave. 
 
 The following is the account of the death of 
 Joseph La Saiga de Villebrun, Lieutenant of the 
 Papal Z.uaves, which was sent by his brother, who 
 was a volunteer in the same regiment, to his family. 
 
 My Dearest Mother :—Whilst still under the 
 impression of this terrible event, I cannot help 
 communicating to you some particulars relating to 
 the last moments of Joseph’s life. They are, in¬ 
 deed, of a nature to console the heart of any Chris 
 tian mother. 
 
 “ At the foot of his bed Joseph had placed a statue 
 of St. Joseph, together with a little statue of the 
 Madonna. One morning he was observed to gaze 
 fixedly upon these objects for a longtime, absorbed 
 and motionless, excepting that his lips moved from 
 time to time in prayer. His orderly at last in¬ 
 quired what occupied him so intently. He ans wered: 
 
 “ ‘ Go quickly and tell the Sister to send for the 
 chaplain; let her call him at once. I want to go 
 to Confession, and St. Joseph says I must make no 
 delay, as I have not a moment to lose.’ 
 
 “ Immediately the R>v. Father Daniel was 
 brought to his bedside, and after hearing his Con 
 feseion (which he afterwards told me was a most 
 fervent one), the priest saii to the Sister: 
 
 u ‘ I am going to offer the Holy Sacrifice for him, 
 and will af.,er that bring him the Holy Viatkum.’ 
 
 “ At first my brolher seemed quite contented 
 with this arrangement, but just as the priest was 
 a&cend.ng the altar, Joseph again sent him an en- 
 
st. Joseph's help. 
 
 135 
 
 treaty to come, saying it would not do to wait till 
 the end of the Mass, as by that time he would have 
 lost his consciousness, which he would never re¬ 
 cover. 
 
 “ The priest most kindly came at once, and Jo¬ 
 seph received Extreme Unction, joining in all the 
 prayers, and after he had received the Holy Com¬ 
 munion, he made acts of love and fervent thanks¬ 
 giving to God for having granted him the grace of 
 being conscious in this the last action of his life. 
 All those who were present wept, and were deeply 
 moved to see so great a faith in the midst cf his 
 acute sufferings. Shortly after this he became de¬ 
 lirious ; but even in the wanderings of his mind, he 
 still made aspirations to St. Joseph. Being left 
 alone once, only for a few seconds, he was found 
 to have got out of bed and thrown himself upon his 
 knees on the stone floor at the feet of the statue, 
 fervently invoking the saint. The r ext day he 
 sank into a state of prostration, from which nothing 
 c nld rouse him but the mention of St. Josephs 
 name. 
 
 “The last time I saw him open his eyes, 
 it was to cast one last lingering look upon tbe 
 image of his dear patron saint After this he 
 seemed to be so much quieter that it was 
 thought he might rally for a time; but no, a 
 few moments only passed and then he breathed a 
 heavy sigh, and all was over, without any struggle 
 cr agoiy, without any one even perceiving that 
 death had come. 
 
 “ Yesterday I was introduced to our Holy Father 
 the Pope. One of the Papal court acquainted his 
 
136 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 Holiness with our bereavement, and Le addressed 
 some comforting words, and held out his hand for 
 me to kiss. 
 
 “He made some inquiries concerning Joseph, 
 and meanwhile some of my friends brought forward 
 a photograph of the dead Zouave, which one of the 
 attendants showed to his Holiness. Pius IX. wr< to 
 upon it the word, “ Pax 7ibi then raising h’s 
 eyes to heaven, he said, “ Ita in Paradiso /” (He 
 is in Paradise.) 
 
 “ The loss of pcor Joseph has been Jameited, 
 not only by the whole of the regiment, but also by 
 several Roman families with whom he was intimate 
 
 “ I have been earnestly r quested to distribu e 
 his photographs, and thinking that it would be in 
 accordance with your wishes, I have done bo 
 Joseph had inspired such an universal interest, that 
 th’s recognition of the'r sympathy could hardly be 
 refused.” 
 
 3 “I shall Die in the Octave of St. Joseph's 
 
 Feast V 
 
 Since the particulars I am about to relate to you 
 refer to the honor of St. Joseph, you would more 
 naturally expect to receive them from the pen of 
 our dear Sister Aloysius of Gonzaga, than from 
 mine; but, alas! death has entered here. 
 
 On the the 21st of March she gave up her beauti¬ 
 ful soul to God, after she had given us the example 
 of the most elevated spectacle that can be sten on 
 earth—a holy, spotless life, crowned with the mar¬ 
 tyrdom of terrible suffering. This, our Sister bore 
 with angelic patienc 1 , and her death was like to 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 137 
 
 that of those sa n‘s whohavo res'ed sweetly in the 
 Lord. 
 
 Being one of those appointed to guide her in the 
 paihs of sanctification and of perfection, in which 
 alia most gtnerously trod, I may say ihat few have 
 known her better than myself, and I may truly add 
 that in her were found the most brilliant intellec¬ 
 tual talents, together with a childlike faith, and a 
 perfect innocence and simplicity. 
 
 She has passed through the world without 
 being tainted by its evils, as cf old tha three chil¬ 
 dren were preserved from the flames of tha fiery 
 furnace at Babylon. 
 
 Her religious life counted only thirteen years and 
 six months, and yet her course in religion may be 
 called a long one, for all her days were well filled, 
 both by fighting against herself and by her self- 
 sacrificing devotion to the welfare of her neighbor. 
 
 The treasure which death was so soon to take 
 from us was made known to us more fully during 
 her last illness, which lasted several months, and 
 during which she had to endure the greatest suf¬ 
 ferings. Delicate scrupulousness, humility, pa¬ 
 tience, a detachment frcm all earthly things, and a 
 longing for heaven, such were the revelations of 
 these last months of unspeakable suffering. 
 
 She had always entertained a great devotion for 
 Sfc. Joseph, and eagerly sought to gain others to 
 love him. Indeed the Arciconfraternity of Angers 
 has largely reaped the fruits of her zeal in promot¬ 
 ing the honor of the great and Hily Patriarch. 
 
 “ I shall die in the octave of his feast,” she said 
 to me some days before the 19 h of March, And 
 
138 
 
 st, Joseph’s help. 
 
 as I have said before, she gently departed on (he 
 21 st of the same month, after receiving from he.i 
 superiors the permission to die. “ For thus to die 
 in obedience will be much more beautiful,” sh© 
 said to the Reverend Mother. 
 
 The little altar which she had erected to St. 
 Joseph, and adorned in her cell during the month 
 of March, was left until the corpse of our beloved 
 Sister was removed; and the choir of the tem¬ 
 porary altar of St. Joseph for March hsd to bo 
 changed in order to make room for the coffin. 
 
 These circumstances are all touching when we 
 remember what a tender devotion she had towards 
 St. Joseph. 
 
 4. “Behold St, Joseph is Oqming to Fetch Me.” 
 
 “You will most likely remember that among our 
 school children we Lad a little girl who was a 
 Protestant, the niece of General N——. By (be 
 assistance of the Bussed Yirg'n and Sh Joseph it 
 was arranged for her to remain with us, although 
 after the death of the General, her relations made 
 ©very effort to take her from the convent. 
 
 During the fifteen months of her stay here, the 
 child had acquired a deep devotion to St Joseph. 
 She was always displeased whenever it happened 
 in the chapel the image of this her dear saint was 
 less adorned than that of the Blessed Virgin, snd 
 she also frequently spoke of St. Joseph with groat 
 love. 
 
 Her most ardent des’re was to receive Baptism 
 and to make her first Confession ; but as she was 
 born of Protestant parents, and as besides all her 
 
ST. jo eph'h HiLP. 
 
 139 
 
 family were Protc slants, it was thought necessary 
 to wait until she had attained her fourteenth year 
 before allowing her to do so. 
 
 Shortly after the Epiphany she fell into so 
 dangerous an illness that soon every hope of her 
 recovery was given up. Now the poor child could 
 not rest until she had received the Holy Sacraments 
 of Baptism (conditirnally)and of Penance, and had 
 been anointed. Shortly after, indeed tho very day 
 following her fourteenth birthday, she received 
 Holy Communion with great fervor in presence of 
 some of her relations. 
 
 All the time of her illness the sick child had 
 suffered patiently, but from this moment she be¬ 
 came a real model of gentle resignation. From the 
 first she had rej need at the prospect of going soon 
 to heaven, and one of her most joyful anticipations 
 was that she should see and know St. Joseph. Her 
 unshaken devotion to him was rewarded in a 
 wonderful manner. 
 
 For two days we had been expecting her death, 
 when on the Wednesday she suddenly raised her¬ 
 self upright in her bed and, with a beaming 
 countenance, exclaimed: 
 
 “ Look, here is St. Joseph coming to take me 
 away!” 
 
 I inquired: “ Where is he ?” 
 
 She pointed with her finger, but words failed to 
 describe the Saint’s appearance distinctly. She 
 only said: “He was most beautiful, that she saw 
 him resplendent and surrounded with radiant light.” 
 See conversed aloud with him for about a quarter 
 of an hour. 
 
140 
 
 ST. JOSEPH S HELP. 
 
 Once she requested me to move a little to oho 
 side that she might see him better, and she said he 
 beckoned to her to follow him. It was extraordin¬ 
 arily touching to hear wi*h what simplicity she con¬ 
 versed with him, earnestly begging him not to go 
 wit .out taking her with him. She preserved her 
 consciousness to the last moment, and then 
 quietly lay back on her pillow and breathed 
 her last. It was a sweet death ! St. Joseph will 
 certainly have presented this innocent and pure 
 soul to his IXviui! Son. 
 
 The confessor of the convent and the parish 
 priest to whom I related this occurrence both de¬ 
 clared that undoubtedly this little child had seen 
 St. Joseph before her death. As for me, I can 
 never forget her countenance, beaming as it was 
 with joy; even death could not mar its beauty. 
 And I feel certain that henceforth the whole house 
 wi 1 make a point of keeping the feast of St. Joseph 
 With greater honor and devotion than ever, and 
 that all will seek his intercession with redoubled 
 confidence. 
 
 5. An Edifying Death. 
 
 On the 23d of March, last year, a young girl 
 died who had spent three years in the boarding- 
 school of Not e Dame d© Charite. During the first 
 two years G X had shown a rather disagreeable 
 character, but lately the wholesome ©fleets of a re¬ 
 treat had manifested themselves in her; she gave 
 herself more to prayer, and the habit of pious recol¬ 
 lection and other improvements indicated a change 
 in her disposition. 
 
ST. J.SUPh's HELP. 
 
 141 
 
 Her mother came to visit her on the 25th of 
 February, and finding her a little indisposed pro¬ 
 posed to return her to her home. Without much 
 consideration, she at once agreed to the proposal, 
 and immediately informed her companions that she 
 was going to leave school. On the 1st of March, 
 however, she became worse and was obliged to 
 keep her bed. It was then that the words of one 
 of her mistresses recurred to her mind: 
 
 44 My child, will not the world be injurious to 
 you?” She pondered over this thought and con¬ 
 sidered besides all the good advice that she ) d re¬ 
 ceived, especially concerning prayer; these reflec¬ 
 tions weighed upon her heart, and at last she made 
 thi3 generous proposal to St. Joseph: 
 
 44 Oh! my dearest Father, if you foresee that I 
 shall be lost in the world, let me rather die at 
 once.” 
 
 On the 6fch of March the doctor declared that 
 her recovery was hopeless, as rapid consumption 
 had set in. The sick girl, who had guessed as 
 much, asked her mistress to tell her without dis¬ 
 guise what the doctor’s opinion had been. The 
 good nun hesitated: 
 
 “Mother,” said the child, 44 1 am going to die; 1 
 have prated to God through the intercession of St. 
 Joseph that it might be so, and I feel that my 
 prayer has been heard.” 
 
 Her eyes were dimmed with tears, and on being 
 asked whether she regretted the loss of her life, 
 she replied: 
 
 “Oh, no! for I well know now that I could not 
 have sav^d my soul in the world.” From this mo- 
 
142 
 
 ST. aOSKpffs HELP. 
 
 m«nt Ebe could net help expressing to all the hap 
 piness she felt at this sud Jen change in her des iny. 
 At the la;t, however, a great trial caused her some 
 moments of disturbance. The inmost wish of her 
 heart was to die in the house which had been the 
 means cf such precious graces to her soul. On the 
 other hand, her parents urged her returning home 
 at one© to them. 
 
 “I have good reasons for wishing io die her ,” 
 she said; “they will all pray for me and off r many 
 Communions for me by which I may hope to be 
 freed from Purgatory, and so go sooner to my dear 
 Loi d ! ” 
 
 Thrice did the parents yield to their daughter’s 
 wish, but the fourth time that they urged their 
 desire, O. X. thought herself bound to submit to 
 her mistress’s adv'c©, and to comply with the loving 
 requ sis of her parents. Perhaps God wanted to 
 console her relations by the sight of the holy and 
 edifying de^th cf their child. Bo she was taken to 
 her heme. Upon the 17th of March, feeling more 
 oppressed, the dying child asked to be ano'ff.ed, 
 and on the next day she received the Holy Viati¬ 
 cum. Two of her school companions came to visit 
 her on the 20tb, and knowing that she so longed to 
 h&ve died on the feast of Bt. Joseph, they said to 
 her: 
 
 “Well, you see, Sc. Joseph has not taken ycu, as 
 you desired, on his feast.” 
 
 “ Oh! ” she replied, “it was because he did rot 
 think me well prepared enough, but he will cer¬ 
 tainly take me before the conclusion of his octave.” 
 
 Her disconsolate father besought her to ask Al- 
 
bt. Joseph's help- 
 
 143 
 
 mighty God to restore her to health; bat she 
 answered: 
 
 “ I cannot do so, for I have prayed that I nrght 
 die in order to save my soul, and the good God 
 has granted my petition; I thank Him for it.” 
 
 She faced death with a wonderful peace of mind. 
 When the cold sweat burst forth upon her fore¬ 
 head, she said to her mother: 
 
 “ This is the sweat of death, it will not last long 
 now; please bring me my veil, as I wish to be 
 buried in it.” 
 
 They asked if she desired that her crucifix, which 
 she so frequently carried about her, should be 
 buried with her also. 
 
 u No, keep that,” she raid ; “ the sight of it will 
 comfort you; I have a scapular and my medals, 
 that is enough. Tell the Beverend Mother ard my 
 companions that I shall not forget their commis¬ 
 sions !” And being asked by her mother what these 
 were, she said: 
 
 “ Ob ! it ia for heaven. God and the saints know 
 well what has been recommeaded to me!” 
 
 In these sentiments 0. X. yielded up her pious 
 soul to her Greater. In was on the fourth day of 
 the octave of St. Joseph. 
 
 May all pious souls commit all their necessities, 
 and especially the hour of their departure out of 
 this world, into the hands of the great and power¬ 
 ful Foster-Father of our Lord. 
 
144 
 
 ST. JOSEPH S HELP. 
 
 6. St. Joseph does not Forget His Clients at the 
 
 Hour of Death. 
 
 The following is a touching account of the last 
 moments of a Christian Brother, who during the 
 time he was teaching at Tunis, showed himself a 
 zealous promoter of the devotion to St. Joseph. 
 
 Obliged to return to France to recover his health, 
 which had been undermined by the African climate, 
 this true servant of the Holy Patriarch, being ripe 
 for heaven, entered into his eternal rest. The Su¬ 
 perior of the house where this good Brother had 
 died, has communicated the following touching 
 particulars: 
 
 “Our dear Brother Protegenius came to this 
 house in the beginning of November, 1868 When 
 he beheld our pleasant abode, the solitude of Fon- 
 scrune, outside Beziers, he rejoiced, saying he 
 hoped soon to recover his health. In fact, he felt a 
 great improvement in it during the first weeks; 
 but, nevertheless, towards Christmastlde, the spit¬ 
 ting of blood again came on, and he understood 
 that all the skill of doctors was now powerless, so 
 that there remained nothing for him to do but to 
 prepare for a good and holy death. 
 
 “ He spoke to all those who came near him with 
 wonderful calmness, and evinced a great certainty 
 of the nearness of his approaching end, so much so 
 that he predicted that his departure out of this life 
 would occur on the feast of his dear patron and 
 protector St. Joseph. 
 
 “ When at last he became bedridden, he requested 
 to have by him a picture representing the death of 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 145 
 
 St. Joseph, and, having obtained his wish, he took 
 it into Lis hands and, kissing it most tenderly, ex¬ 
 claimed: ‘Oh, dear St. Joseph! Oh, good St. 
 Joseph! remember your promise and grant me the 
 grace to depart on your feast day, and, like you, to 
 die in the arms of Jesus and Mary!’ 
 
 “ The picture being hung by the side of his bed, 
 the sick Brother kept his eyes incessantly fixed 
 upon it. In spite of our bast endeavors to procure 
 for him palatable food and refreshing drinks, he had 
 completely lost all appetite, and his frame became 
 so emaciated that it more resembled a skeleton than 
 a living being. 
 
 “It appeared from what h© told some one in con¬ 
 fidence, a few days before his death, that whilst in 
 Tunis he had in the month of March, 1868, made 
 an offering of his life in order to obtain the salva¬ 
 tion of the soul of one of his former scholars, who 
 had been seized with brain fever, and was dying 
 without the S&craments. 
 
 “Hardly had Brother Protogenius made this 
 offering to our Lord than the youth recovered his 
 consciousness, contrary to every expectation of the 
 doctors, and begged to see a Capuchin Father, and, 
 having confessed, he received all the Sacraments 
 with a contrite heart, and died a most edifying 
 death. 
 
 “ Meanwhile a very slight indisposition of Brother 
 Protegenius began now to assume a serious char¬ 
 acter, and at length it prevented him from fulfilling 
 his duties as teacher. It was found necessary to 
 send him back to France in the hope that his native 
 air would help to his recovery. 
 
146 
 
 ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 “ Bui; God had accepted his generous sacrifice, 
 and Sfc. Joseph, by whose hands it was ofiered, 
 gave him the assurance that he would recover no 
 more, but that at the end of the March following 
 he would reach the term of his earthly pilgr'mage. 
 When the doctors who attended him tried to laad 
 him t® i xpect his recovery, he thanked them kindly, 
 but no sooner had they left him than he said to the 
 Brothers: 
 
 “‘We shall see whether the doctors or I have 
 spoken rightly.’ 
 
 “ About the middle of February, when the con¬ 
 fessor of the Novitiate was about to be absent him¬ 
 self for a few days, he proposed to give him the last 
 anointing before leaving, but Brother Protegenius 
 answered with great confidence: 
 
 “ ‘ Father, you may go without fear, because on 
 your rein! n you will find me in the same state as 
 you left me; my hour is not yet come.’ He gave 
 the same answer when the like proposal was made 
 to him on the 25 th of February, and repeated 
 again: ‘My hour is not yet come.’ 
 
 “On the 28th of February he received Holy 
 Communion, which favor was granted to him every 
 8m day. Towards evening he asked that the 
 Brother Superior might be fetched, and said: 
 
 “ ‘To-morrow the month of St. Joseph begins, that 
 month in which my dear patron Saint will open 
 the gates of Paradise to me and introduce me into 
 his heavenly country. I asked him to let me die 
 on his feast, but in consideration of the disturbance 
 it would cause in the house cn that day, it being 
 besides tha feast of the Patron of the Institute, and 
 
ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 147 
 
 of the NovitiUe, my death would interfere wi h all 
 the arrargement3, bo I have begged him to let me 
 die on the 3d of March, which is the first Wednes¬ 
 day of the month, and my prayer has been accepted. 
 If it will suit the chaplain, I will prepare to re¬ 
 ceive Extreme Unction to morrow.’ 
 
 “He received this holy Sacrament with full con¬ 
 sciousness and such beautiful sentiments of faith 
 and resignation that all present were moved to 
 tears. Towards evening he fell into a state of weak¬ 
 ness so great that we feared he would not live 
 through the night. All therefore remained prating 
 around his bed; he s!ill continued to answer and 
 join in the devotions, and the confessor gave him 
 the indulgence in articulo mortis. When these 
 several ceremonies were ended the dying Brother 
 expressed his gratitude to his community, looking 
 lovingly at each of them, he raised his eyes to 
 Heaven as if to say : ‘The good God and St. Jo¬ 
 seph will reward you for all you have done for me; 
 I am going to them to await your coming.’ 
 
 “Tuesday passed on quietly; he repeatedly 
 kissed the crucifix and the picture of St. Joseph, 
 saying ; ‘ To-morrow I shall leave this p aca of 
 banishment, this valley of tears.’ 
 
 “About twe’ve at night h© sent the infirmarian 
 to rest, and only one Brother remained with him. 
 Towards four o’clock he asked him to hand him his 
 crucifix, and a little statue of St. Joseph, and hav¬ 
 ing impressed on them most loving kisses, he fell 
 into a kind of slumber. The Brother who was 
 watching took this opportunity to go and call the 
 community; on returning, scarcely three minutes 
 
148 
 
 ST. JOSEPH S HELP. 
 
 after, ho found the dear Brother breathing his last 
 sigh, whilst pressing to his heart the images of his 
 Redeemer and of his beloved patron saint. It hap¬ 
 pened jus 1 as he had predicted—-he died on tie 
 mornirg of the first Wednesday in March. Brother 
 Protegenius was in his forty-fifth year. All his 
 brethren admired the goodness of G;d toward i 
 him, and the wonderful favor which St. Joseph had 
 obtained for him. From that time the novices 
 never mention him but as the beloved servant and 
 client of Si. Joseph. 
 
 7. St. Jo?eph Obtains fob a Sick Person the Grace 
 of Dying in the Arms of Jesus and Mary. 
 
 Our dear Sister Joanna, who for sis years had 
 been confined to her bed by a grievous sickness, 
 was ever heartily longing for the moment to come 
 when she should go to rest in our Lord. Although 
 she was very suffering, the and did not as yet seem 
 to foe near. 
 
 About a month ago, writes the Superioress, the 
 doctor appeared even to notice some improvement, 
 and from day to day her nurses shared in this 
 opinion. One day alter Mass one of the nuns came 
 to her and said: 
 
 a Sister Joanna, do you know what day this is ? 
 Is it not Wednesday, S . Joseph’s Day?” 
 
 “ Oh, my dear Sister,” answered the sick nun ; 
 6i yes, it is the day of St. Joseph! This day my 
 end must come. Oh, let us pray,” she added earn¬ 
 estly, “ that this may be so!” 
 
 The other hesitated a moment, but then replied : 
 
8T. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 149 
 
 “Several saints have prayed to God that He 
 might let them die on such or such a day, and they 
 were heard. We may also make a similar request 
 to St. Joseph.” 
 
 “ Ob, yes! And do you ask it,” was the reply. 
 
 Then the nun prayed aloud : 
 
 “ Oh, holy Joseph! grant to my Sister Joanna 
 the grace to die like you, in the arms of Jesus and 
 Mary. Open to her on this day, which is conse- 
 crated to your honor, the Gate of Heaven and of 
 the Sacred Heart of Jesus, if such be the will of 
 God.” 
 
 The sick nun repeated every word with ardent 
 fervor, and at the end she said : 
 
 “Add—let it not happen in the night.” 
 
 The Sister then added: 
 
 “Moreover, let it be before night, good Sfc. Jo¬ 
 seph, and only grant this prayer if her debts are 
 already paid, and if her crown be already prepared.” 
 
 Sister Joanna gave a nod of assent, saying: 
 “ Other wise I prefer to suffer more here.” 
 
 She continued makicg more ejaculations, and as 
 she was concluding her prayers, the nun who had 
 watched by her in the light came to her and in¬ 
 quired how she feit. Sister Joanna replied that 
 she should probably die that day. The Sister re¬ 
 pudiated this idea altogether, and said that, on the 
 contrary, she thought she was getting better. 
 Meanwhile, the morning went on, and as the hours 
 passe i the hope of the sufferer appeared to change 
 into a strong conviction. When our Reverend 
 Mo.li'r, who orly left the sick-ro m fer business or 
 her m .re important avocations, returned to her s^t 
 
150 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 by the bedside, Sister Joanna said to her very con¬ 
 fidently : 
 
 “Beverend Mother, I shall yet die in this 
 month.” 
 
 “ How so, this month ? Why, do you know what 
 day of the month it is ? ” 
 
 She replied: “Yes; it is the 31st, and St. 
 Joseph has whispered to me that I shall die to¬ 
 day.” 
 
 However, no one believed that she spoke seri¬ 
 ously, for there was no sign of any change for the 
 worse to be noticed. Still she continued to affirm 
 that she should die that day, and that St. Joseph, 
 with the Blessed Virgin and St. John, would come 
 and carry her away. She said to the Beverend 
 Mother, speaking as if from conviction: 
 
 “ About six o’clock I shall be dead.” 
 
 It was then just four o’clock, When the Superi¬ 
 oress returned a short time afterwards, followed by 
 the priest, she found Sister Joanna much weaker; 
 the priest, however, hesitated about giving her the 
 last Absolution, as he said nothing looked like the 
 near approach of death, and he should be very 
 much surprised if it were indeed to happen that 
 day. It was now five o’clock. The dear sufferer 
 was silent, and seemed to be wrapt in great recol¬ 
 lection ; they noticed how intently she kept her 
 ejes fixed on the statue of St. Joseph. Then they 
 asked if she would receive the Beverend Mother’s 
 blessing, to which she answered: 
 
 “ Yes ; that I may die in obedience.” 
 
 The Beverend Mother stood up at once, saying: 
 
 “ My dear Sister, if our Lord calls you to Him- 
 
st. Joseph's help. 
 
 151 
 
 self, go in peace under the protection of Mary. 
 Nos cum prole pia benedicat Virgo Maria.” 
 
 Thereupon Sister Joanna said with a loud and 
 strong voice: 
 
 “ I am already judged. I shall not have to en¬ 
 dure any pains of Purgatory. God the Father has 
 sa*d to me, ‘ Thou art My beloved daughter!’ I 
 have seen the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph and St 
 John the Evangelist. This evening the Blessed 
 Virgin and my Guardian Angel will place a crown 
 of glory on my brow. I have delivered a soul from 
 Purgatory. Perhaps I may yet deliver another 
 one.” 
 
 Here the elder Sister (whose religious name was 
 Mary of the Assumption) interrupted her to in¬ 
 quire, “ Is our dear Father in heaven ?” 
 
 “ Yes, he is in heaven, but I have not been there 
 asy(t. I have not presented your petitions to 
 Almighty God, but I shall do so presently. There 
 remains nothing for me but to die. I shall soon die 
 —this is,easy for me now. Buverend Mother, I 
 have promised to conceal nothing from you, there¬ 
 fore I have told you all. This evening you can tell 
 the Sisters in recreation ; I know that they will re¬ 
 joice with me.” Then, upon being asked whether 
 she would like the chaplain to be called, she said: 
 “If he would see me die, it is time he should 
 come.” 
 
 The whole community now assembled in the 
 sick room; it was ten minutes past five. When the 
 priest came, the Litany of the Blessed Virgin was 
 being recited, and the chaplain then snd the Ac's of 
 Faith, Hope and Charity, which the dying run 
 
152 
 
 et. Joseph’s help. 
 
 repeated with him, and several times invoked the 
 holy names of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. 
 
 “ My dear Sister,” said the chaplain, “ you are 
 already in the Heart of Jesus; in the arms of Jesus; 
 you are resting on His breast.” 
 
 “ Forever ! ” she replied. 
 
 “Let us now,” he continued, “say the prayers 
 for the dyirg.” 
 
 “Yes, wiliirgly,” she answered. 
 
 While these devotions were going on she ap¬ 
 peared to be rapidly growing weaker and weaker, 
 and when the prayers were ended she repeated 
 cnce more the holy names of Jesus, Mary ard 
 Joseph; then sweetly slept in our Lord, without 
 the least struggle or agony. It was ten minutes 
 to six o’clock. The chaplain, who was present, ad¬ 
 mired the extraordir ary and wonderful grace which 
 our Lord had granted to this His humble hand¬ 
 maid; he intoned the TeDeuin at once, before even 
 proposing to commence the usual prayers for the 
 repose of her soul. 
 
 This our beloved Sister had shown herself all her 
 life a model of simplicity, innocence and obedience. 
 
 This account was written by Sister N-, of St. 
 
 Ursula, Superioress of the convent in which Sister 
 Joanna died. 
 
 8. A Favor Granted by the Devout Use cf St. 
 
 Joseph’s Cord. 
 
 This incident comes from the Lower Rhine : 
 
 A man who had for many years neg'ected his re- 
 igious duties fell dangerously ill. His wife en¬ 
 treated him to receive the last Sacraments, but all 
 
ST. j seph’s help. 
 
 153 
 
 in vain, and she dared not mention the subject 
 again. Being a devout client of St. Joseph, her 
 piety made her ingenious, and she came to me to 
 have a cord of St Joseph blessed, and placed it 
 secretly on her sick husband. For the doctors 
 having ordered him pcfultices, she fastened them on 
 by tying them with the blessed cord round his 
 body. 
 
 From the first the poor man felt somewhat 
 better, and, though the pains again increased, 
 le was more patient and more resigned, ard 
 at last, of his own accord, asked for a priest. 
 He received the last Sacramants with great 
 devotion, shedding tears of joy and c ntrilion. 
 He asked pardon of his wife and children for having 
 through his indifference in religious matters given 
 them as much disedification and pain, and he ad¬ 
 monished his children to hold to these religieus 
 principles which he, now at the hour of death, em¬ 
 braced, and not to be led away by those opinions 
 which had misled him during his life. He spoke in 
 like manner to all his friends and relations who 
 visited him. But he could not understand how it 
 was that all of a sudden he had become so changed. 
 Whereupon his good wife discovered to him the 
 pious artifice she had practiced, and told him that 
 he was indebted to St. Joseph for this grace. 
 
 The happy convert shed tears of j y and gratitude, 
 and insisted on at once being ii scribed in the con 
 fraternity of St. Joseph. Holding the blessed cord 
 in his hands, he repeatedly kissed it, making many 
 loving ejaculations. 
 
 Finally he died in the arms of St. Joseph, while 
 
154 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 his trembling hand was still grasping the picture of 
 the Saint. His last words were: 
 
 “ Holy Joseph, lead me to Jesus, your Foster- 
 Son and my Redeemer!” 
 
 9. A Mysteeious Expedition. 
 
 During the night of January 2d, 1882, a strange 
 old man presented himself at the house of 
 
 the parish priest of B-and begged of him to 
 
 come at once to a death-bed. He explained to him 
 that he would hud the dying person in such and 
 such a house. This old man was quite unknown to 
 the priest, and the street he mentioned bore a bad 
 reputation. 
 
 He hesitated therefore—could it be some treach¬ 
 erous snare that had been laid for him ? but the 
 stranger egnn urgently renewed his request. 
 
 “ It is important that you coma without delay, 
 for it is a poor old woman in her agony who wants 
 to receive the last Sacraments.” 
 
 A sacred duty hsd to be performed, so the priest 
 hesitated no longer; he dressed himself with all 
 epeed, and followed the unknown messenger. The 
 night was bitterly cold; the old man seemed, how¬ 
 ever, not to mind it. He walked on quickly, saying 
 to the priest by way of encouragement: 
 
 u I shall wait for you at the door.” 
 
 The door at which they stopped led into 
 one of the worst houses of this part of the town, 
 and the priest, holding the mosi Blessed Sacrament 
 in his hand, was at first se : zed with fear. On 
 second thoughts, however, remembering that our 
 
st. Joseph’s hflp. 
 
 155 
 
 Lord came to seek and to save sinners, he lock 
 courage in the thought that he was but following 
 in the footsteps of his divine Master, and, seiz cg 
 the handle, he rang loudly at the house door. 
 No answer came; he knocked several times, but 
 all remained quiet. 
 
 The old man was standing somewhat aloof; at 
 last, the priest, turning to him, said; 
 
 “You see it is useless, they will not open the 
 door.” 
 
 “ Let me try,” replied the mysterious stranger, 
 and he came forward while the priest retired a few 
 steps behind him. “As soon as the door opens,” 
 he ea T d, turning to him, “ step inside as quickly as 
 you can ; go upstairs and open the dour of the 
 room at the c nd of the passage; there you will find 
 the dying woman.” 
 
 These words were spoken in such an authoritative 
 tone that the priest could venture no objection. 
 Then the old man knocked in a peculiar manner at 
 the door and immediately it flew open, and the 
 priest entered without difficulty; he walked up¬ 
 stairs, end, opening the appointed door, found him¬ 
 self beside the bed of a sick woman, who, being in 
 the greatest anguish of soul, was continually crying 
 between sobs and sighs : 
 
 “ A priest! a priest! They will let me die with¬ 
 out a priest! ” 
 
 The servant of God drew near. 
 
 “My daughter,” he said, “here is the priest.” 
 
 She could not, however, believe it. 
 
 “No,” she said, “no one in this house would 
 have fetched a priest! ” 
 
15G 
 
 ST. Joseph’s help. 
 
 My child, an old man called me to your assist¬ 
 ance.” 
 
 X know no old man,” she said, looking aston¬ 
 ished. 
 
 At last the priest succeeded in convincing her 
 that he was indeed the minister of the Divine Mercy 
 whom she desired; and he prepared her to maka 
 her confession and receive the last Sacraments of 
 the Church. She accused herself of all that lay so 
 heavily on her conscience—the sins of a longlife of 
 transgressions—and expressed so deep a 
 sorrow and contrition, that the priest mar¬ 
 velled to find such a lively faith in a soul which h*d 
 b e en fo long and so utterly separated from God. 
 He inquired whether she had retained the custom 
 of reciting any pariicu’ar prayers. 
 
 “ Only a daily Hail Mary to St. Joseph to obtain 
 a happy death,” she replied. 
 
 The prieet now prepared everything for the ad¬ 
 ministration of the last Sacraments; whilst he was 
 thus engaged several persons came in and went out 
 of the room without, apparently, seeming to not'ce 
 } is presence. He gave the poor woman the H"ly 
 Viaticum and then anointed her, and did not leave 
 this penitent sinner until she had peacefully ren¬ 
 dered up her purified soul into the hands of her 
 Lord. 
 
 When the priest left the house to return home 
 he we~ fc out as quietly as he had entered, without 
 meeting any one on the way. 
 
 As he was pondering over the c’rcumslances of 
 that night, and on the blessed mission he had 
 accomplished, he became convinced that the kind 
 
6T. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 157 
 
 and vererable cld man could have been no other 
 than the glorious and merciful St. Joseph, the pro¬ 
 tector of the dying. 
 
 10. A Happy Death. 
 
 The story which I am about to relate was written 
 to the “Propagation” of Canada, and took place 
 in New York. I myself read it in an English news¬ 
 paper, and I think it will edify the reader as much 
 as it has edified me. 
 
 About five and twenty years ago, near the large 
 and splendid town of New York, in a lonely and 
 desolate spot, stood a poor deserted cottage, which 
 had been built by an unfortunate man who could 
 find no shelter in that rich ®nd populous city. 
 
 The sight of this hut reminded one of the p^or 
 stable of Bethlehem, in which our Saviour deign: d 
 to be born, being exposed, like it, to every wind 
 and inclemency of the weather. 
 
 In this miserable habitation an unfortunate sailor 
 dwelt alone. He had fallen in*o the greatest 
 poverty and distress from long continued sickness, 
 and had found no one who would lend him a help¬ 
 ing hand. 
 
 In the extremity of his misery he was even re¬ 
 fused admittance into the hospitals, since he had 
 no one to recommend him, and no one to pay the 
 expense of his maintenance. This poor man, for¬ 
 saken by all, was, indeed, greatly to be pitied. 
 What made him even yet more an object of com¬ 
 passion was the fact that during his long voyages 
 at sea he had entirely given up the practice of his 
 religious duties, although he had not quite lost the 
 
158 
 
 8T. JOSEPH^ HELP. 
 
 faith i but for many, many years—indeed, ever 
 sine© his childhood he had not so much as once 
 entered © church. 
 
 Of all the good teaching of his pious mother, one 
 thing only seemed to remain impressed upon his 
 memory 5 namely, that St. Joseph was the patron of 
 the djing, and that on their departing this life be 
 would open the gates of Paradise to those who 
 should have asked it from him with confidence. In 
 oongequenc© of this belief, and full of trust in the 
 power cf the great Patriarch, he had never let one 
 day pass without reciting three Paters and three 
 Aves in honor of St. Joseph to obtain the grace of 
 a happy death. Oa land as well as at sea, in storms 
 and in calms, always and everywhere, the old sailor 
 had been faithful to this on© devotion; and row in 
 his poor and lonely hut, when forsaken by all, he 
 was left alone to face death, this practice became 
 his only consolation and comfcrt. 
 
 Bat, alas! as yet St. Joseph h&d never come to 
 his assistance any more than had any of his fellow- 
 men; he did not appear to take any notice of him. 
 
 “ Oh! but lie will come at last,” thought the poor 
 forsaken man, and he went on praying. 
 
 He was not mistaken. On© day some one 
 knocked at the door. 
 
 u Com© in,” said the dying sailor, with a weak 
 and feeble voice; “ Open—enter, oh, holy St. 
 Joseph! for who els© would come to me, a poor, 
 miserable and forlorn creature, but you!” 
 
 And, truly, what happens! not, indeed, St. Joseph 
 in person, but he whom St. Joseph had sent to 
 bring consolation to th© dying man entered. Who 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 159 
 
 then was tlr s ? Oh, marvel of love and mercy ! 
 It was our Divine Saviour Himself, Jesus in the 
 most B eased Sacrament, and the priest, his min¬ 
 ister, bringing comfort and refreshment to the poor 
 sinner in his last hour. 
 
 As may well be imagined, the sailor received the 
 last Sacraments with the liveliest feelings of faith, 
 gratitude and love; betokened by the tears which, 
 rolling from his sunken eyes, fell down his weather¬ 
 beaten and withered cheeks. 
 
 “Who then told you, Father, of my sad condi¬ 
 tion ?” inquired the old sailor of the priest. 
 
 “ My good friend, it was an old man of venerable 
 appearance, whom I have never seen before, and I 
 am unacquainted with his name.” 
 
 “Oh!” rejoined the sailor, “I am sure I know 
 him; it must be my good St. Joseph, who has at 
 last heard the three Paters and Aves which from 
 my childhood I have offered to him to obtain the 
 grace of a happy death.” 
 
 And then for a last time he recited in thanks¬ 
 giving those saving prayers which had opened to 
 him the arms of the Divine mercy, and later ob¬ 
 tained, we may hope, that the gates of Paradise 
 should be thrown open to receive him. 
 
 For he died, as truly all the faithful clients of 
 St. Joseph may hope to die, with the smile of peace 
 pon his lips and joy and confi leace in his heart. 
 
160 
 
 ST. JOSEPH^ HELP. 
 
 11. St. Joseph and a Freemason. 
 
 We take the following account of a wonderful 
 grace obtained by the intercession of S^. Joseph, 
 from the relation of the Carmelite, Fa‘her Philip, 
 of St Bernard, and which appeared in a paper, en¬ 
 titled, “The Client of St Joseph.” 
 
 “Having hoard that & young man from Cologna, 
 in the Diocese of Ravenna, who had unfortunately 
 fallen into the snares of the Freemasons, had ob¬ 
 tained a singular grace from St. Joseph, the patron 
 of the Universal Church, I asked the parish priest 
 of that place to give me an ex*cfc account of all the 
 circumstances of the event, my intention being to 
 publish them in this narration, that thereby the 
 powerful influence of the saint might become more 
 and more renowned, and that the faithful might be 
 more excited to have recourse to him in all their 
 necessities, and acquire the strong conviction of 
 that saying of St. Teresa, the greatest promoter of 
 this devotion, * that it is granted to St. Joseph to 
 afford help in every need, whereas th© other saints 
 only bring help in some particular necessity.’ 
 
 “ The following is the letter which I received 
 from th© parish priest in answer to my request. 
 
 “ 4 Reverend Father :—Your Reverence has in¬ 
 quired about the particular circumstances concern¬ 
 ing a certain apothecary of this place called Ga¬ 
 briel Cassini, whose death occurred on April 10th, 
 1868, 
 
 44 4 I most willingly comply with your desire, as 
 
st. Joseph's help. 
 
 161 
 
 this event is likely to show forth the mercy of God, 
 and the powerful intercession of the glorious St. 
 Joseph; perhaps also some sinful soul may be 
 touched by this account, and return to the way of 
 salvation. 
 
 “ 4 Gabriel Cassini, a young man of about thirty- 
 three years of age, was when thus in the prime of 
 life, seized by a slow, but mortal disease. Towards 
 the end of the year 1867, his state of health grew 
 so much worse as to become hopeless. Although 
 his end was evidently approaching, he still so clung 
 to life that he would not hear of the necessity of 
 attending to the concerns of his soul. I feared, 
 therefore, that he would die without receiving the 
 Sacraments of the Church. On Christmas morning 
 I received intelligence that his illness had so much 
 increased that he was hardly expected to live for 
 more than a few hours. Nevertheless, he expressed 
 no desire to see a priest, but showed a determined 
 unwillingness to admit one. I was in the greatest 
 perplexity, as I feared to make matters worse if I 
 presented myself unsought. 
 
 “ 4 Then I felt inspired to offer the third Mass of 
 Christmas for the dying man with the intention 
 that God in His mercy would check the progress 
 of the disease, in order to give him time to apply 
 himself to the care of his eternal salvation. Be¬ 
 fore the close of the day I was filled with an inde¬ 
 scribable consolation and hope on receiving the 
 information that a great change for the better had 
 come over the sick mao. I waited a few days, and 
 then under the pretence of a visit, I tried to come 
 into communication with him, and when he received 
 
162 
 
 ST. JOSEPH^ HELP. 
 
 me, I found him strong enough to be able to con¬ 
 verse a little without over fatigue. Then I saw 
 that my visit seemed to give him pleasure, I re¬ 
 solved to cal! again, but for the sake of preparing 
 the way, I kept the conversation upon indifferent 
 topics, so that by degrees I might the better bring 
 forward the important subjects about which I 
 wanted to treat with him, whenever an opportunity 
 should present itself. 
 
 “ 4 H© want on as usual for about a month, when 
 suddenly he was again taken so ill that great ap¬ 
 prehensions were felt of his approaching end. I 
 did not cease to call, and awaited the opportunity 
 of speaking to him about his soul. On the 10Lh of 
 March, the first day of St. Joseph’s Novena, he 
 spoke with sadness, lamenting that his life was 
 ebbing slowly but surely away. The moment 
 teemed to have come to broach the subject that was 
 so near my heart, and I said as gently and kindly 
 as I could: 
 
 44 4 Sir, if indeed you feel weaker, you should 
 think a little of your soul. 7 
 
 516 Hardly had I uttered these words than he 
 fixed his eyes glaringly upon me as if wishing to 
 intimidate me and exclaimed : 
 
 44 4 1 suspected indeed that your frequent visits 
 had some particular aim, but you must know that 
 I will hear nothing about the Pope, the priests, or 
 confession, and that I shall never give in to any of 
 your nonsensical delusions.’ 7 
 
 My dear friend,” I replied in the mildest tone 
 I could command, “ your illness has become so se¬ 
 rious that I cannot enter into a discussion with you 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 163 
 
 without the risk of accelerating your death, and 
 thus deprivit g you of these last precious moments, 
 which you ought to employ in reflecting upon your 
 salva'icn; but one thing I may tell you, and that 
 is many stronger minds than yours, who were like 
 you, enemies to religion, have, in such moments as 
 these altered their opinions, and on the brink of 
 eternity renounced their foolish prejudices. Con¬ 
 sider well, if you love your soul, that you wfll not 
 be deceived, for such an error will be irreparable. 
 Now I will go, for fear I should disquiet you and 
 make you worse, but I shall pray for you as I did 
 before. On Christmas night when you were in a 
 simiiar crisis, I tffered the third Mass with the ia- 
 tention that God in His mercy wou d grant yon 
 time for conversion. Now I will pray with all con¬ 
 fidence that God in His goodness will bestow on 
 you the treasures of His infinite compassion. May 
 the b easing of the Lord come upon you !” 
 
 u 1 With tears in my eyes I left the house, and 
 coming home I began at once a Novena to St. 
 Joseph. Shortly afterwards I heard again that the 
 sick man’s state was getting worse, but that my 
 words had seemed to make a deep impression upon 
 him; ha suffered from Violent corvulsions and a 
 burning fever that deprived him of all rest at night 
 and left him no peace. All these alarming symp¬ 
 toms suddenly ceased on the feast of St. Joseph’ 
 when towards evening he was heard to exclaim: 
 
 “ ‘ Oh, priest! thou hast done for me! since thy 
 visit I can find no peace !’ 
 
 “ 4 His parents, on hearing this, endeavored to 
 quiet him, and said ; 
 
164 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 444 The priest has but done his duty, and sought 
 to do you good. N^ver has a member of our family 
 died without receiving the last Sacraments. Do 
 you want to be the first, and cause that greatest of 
 sorrows to your parents? To-day is the feast of 
 St. Joseph, the patron and protector of all at the 
 hour of death; invoke him fervently and he will 
 give you peace.’ 
 
 44 4 No sooner were these words spoken than he 
 
 said s 
 
 44 4 Ask the parish priest to send me early to mor¬ 
 row morning Father Pietro Casoni (the priest of 
 Berra, a neighboring parish) ; I will make my con¬ 
 fession to him, and then you must try and be at 
 neace with me; who knows but that we shall all 
 agree aid be satisfied.’ 
 
 44 4 Not a moment’s delay was made in communi¬ 
 cating to me this consoling news, although it was 
 already late at night. The next morning with all 
 speed I sent word to Father Pietro Casoni that he 
 was wanted, and he, full of zeal for the salvation 
 of souls, came to me without delay. 
 
 4u Then we agreed as to what should be required 
 from the young man in order that his conversion 
 might be clearly proved* namely, to renounce his 
 error, and to give up the books that he had pub¬ 
 lished against faith and religion. He refused noth¬ 
 ing that was demanded of him, but rather gave in 
 to all most willingly without suggesting any, even 
 the least, condition. After receiving the Holy Sac¬ 
 raments he never ceased expressing his satisfaction 
 to all present, shewing himself truly penitent for 
 his errors, and asking pardon of all. He desired 
 
ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 1G5 
 
 also to see me again to retract wh&t he had said 
 when I first attempted to mention the subject of 
 his conversion, he then asked me to send him a 
 priest who would stay with him to the last. I 
 k’ssed him on the forehead and we parted, mutu¬ 
 ally happy and content. 
 
 “ 4 1 sent my chaplain to assist him, and every 
 day, even several times a day, he renewed his con¬ 
 fession, until the Friday of the following week, 
 which was Good Friday, when he peacefully gave 
 up his soul to his Creator, about seven o’clock in 
 the morning. 
 
 “ 4 1 forgot to mention that on Palm Sunday, on 
 which day the Paschal time time begins, he desired 
 that Holy Communion should be brought to him in 
 a very solemn and public manner, that he might en¬ 
 deavor thereby to mike atonement and reparation 
 for the scandal he had given by his impiety. 
 
 tc ‘ Such, Reverend Father, is the exact account of 
 the illness, conversion and death of the person 
 whose history you have asked me to relate to you. 
 
 “ ‘ Frahcesko Pasini, Archpriest. 
 
 “‘Coloona, July 27, 1828.’” 
 
 12, The Ap'stolate of Prayer. 
 
 In the hospital of the Red Cross at Lyons there 
 lived an old soldier who professed no religion 
 whatever—we might call him an atheist without 
 being far wrong. But how came this unfortunate 
 man to be so utterly incredulous ? Ala^, it was the 
 fruit of a bad education. He was born at the time 
 of the French Revolution, when people were so in¬ 
 sensate as to try to do away with the worship of 
 
166 
 
 ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 God; when the churches were shut up and the 
 priests were murdered or exiled. Thus the poor 
 man had grown up without knowledge of religion; 
 indeed, he was utterly ignorant of the truths of 
 faith. He had been a soldier, and served under 
 Emperor Napoleon in the war against Spain, during 
 which he, like most of his fellow-soldiers, became 
 guilty of many sacrileges, having robbed and dese¬ 
 crated the churches aid committed many other 
 crimes. 
 
 Now, he could not bear to hear mention made of 
 a priest, or of a confessor, or the performance of 
 any religious duty, and he had an especial aversion 
 to members of any religious order. 
 
 But God in his mercy had given him a daughter 
 who was exceedingly good and pious. This loving 
 child had for a long time been secretly sighing and 
 praying for her unhappy father, whose soul was in 
 so pitiful a state. Not a day passed in which she 
 did not beseech Almighty God to save the soul of 
 her dear parent, and bring him back to the faith. 
 
 In her humility she could not trust to the efficacy 
 of her own prayers, she besought all the pious souls 
 she knew to unite with her in her fervent supplica¬ 
 tions for the conversion of her father. 
 
 One day a devoted client of St. Joseph, to whom 
 this good daughter had confided her trouble, had 
 the goed inspiration to send several little books 
 concerning the devotion to the Seven Joys and 
 Sorrows of St. Joseph to the Sisters of Mercy who 
 attended the hospital in which the old sollier was. 
 
 This charitable soul requested that they would 
 unite in the devotion of the Seven Sundays to ob- 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 167 
 
 tain the conversion of the unhappy father. Mean¬ 
 while the pious daughter redoubled her fervent 
 supplications. At last God was moved by her per¬ 
 severing constancy. The man who formerly was 
 in accessible to any religious influence was suddenly 
 sof ened. The grace of God had touched him and 
 light had shone in his soul. 
 
 He had lived forty-five years without approach¬ 
 ing the Sacraments. Now he confessed his sins 
 with marks of great contrition, and his daughter 
 bad the consolation of receiving Holy Communion 
 with him on the Friday in Passion Week, 1862, 
 
 From that day he was a changed man, and his 
 daughter never ceased extolling the power and 
 goodness of St. Joseph. 
 
 Learn from this good daughter, my dear chil¬ 
 dren, to pray also with fervor for your parents 
 when they are in any spiritual or temporal need. 
 The love you owe them makes this a duty incum¬ 
 bent on you. 
 
 13. Protection in the Hour of Death. 
 
 The devotion of SK Joseph, the foster-father of 
 our Redeemer, spreads ever more and more 
 throughout the world. It is as if this humble 
 saint had been forced, as it were, to step out of his 
 obscurity to reveal to all Christians the greatne^ s 
 of his intercessory power. 
 
 And what marvel is it that he has such power? 
 When we think of all he did for Jesus during his 
 life on earth, is it any wonder that Jesus attends 
 now to his prayers ? 
 
168 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 The incident we are about to relate is only one 
 more ©sample to prove how faithfully St. Joseph 
 bestows graces on his clients. 
 
 A French missionary writes: 
 
 u I was riding one day wearily along the 
 
 sandy banks of the Senegal, in Africa, on a 
 rout© completely unknown to me. The ser¬ 
 pents slid away hissing into the grass, the 
 
 crocodiles went plunging into the swamps, the 
 sun’s burning rays poured fiercely down. An in¬ 
 visible power seemed to urge m© forward. At 
 length 1 cam© in sight of a hut. 1 dismounted, 
 and was about to push open the door, when a voice 
 from within cried out excitedly: 
 
 44 4 Who’s there V 
 
 “‘A Father Missioner,’ I answered $ 4 don’t be 
 alarmed. May the peace of God rest on this dwel¬ 
 ling.’ 
 
 44 4 A priest!’ exclaimed the stranger, in good 
 French. 4 You are most welcome. Lose no time, 
 but come to me immediately.’ 
 
 64 4 Who are you, then ? and how do you come to 
 lie here V 
 
 44 4 As these questions can wait, my Father, let 
 me simply tell you that I am down with my third 
 attack of fever, and that it will be my last, as you 
 well know. Let us defer talking of other matters 
 till later. I will answer your questions should I 
 survive. But I am quite prepared for confession, 
 so please, Father, let us begin at one©.’ 
 
 44 As he spoke I heard the howl of some jackals, 
 allured as they ever are by the scent of death. I 
 felt convinced by their approach that the sick man 
 
ST. JOSEPHS HELP. 
 
 169 
 
 had not long to live, and proceeded to administer 
 the last Sacraments without delay. 
 
 “ I now felt persuaded that the invisible power 
 that had urged me on was of Almighty Gsd, and in 
 order that I might understand His ways the better, 
 I said to the dying man: 
 
 “ ‘ You must certainly have prayed very earnestly 
 that God would send you a priest, for evidently it 
 was your Guardian Aogel that brought me here.” 
 
 “ - Would you like to know how it came to pass f 
 
 “ 4 Certainly.’ 
 
 “ 4 1 felt sure a priest would come.’ 
 
 tl4 But how so, nothing, humanly speaking, was 
 more unlikely than that one would come into this 
 wild desert waste of Africa?’ 
 
 “ 1 Oh, but human probability had nothing to do 
 with it. I always wear the cord ©f St. Joseph, and 
 I belong to the Confraternity of the “ Bona Mors.” 
 You see my conscience was in a bad state, so St. 
 Joseph was ob iged to send me a priest. I recom¬ 
 mended the matter to him most earnestly, and, as 
 you can bear witness, not in vain.’ 
 
 “‘Now all is clear to me,’ I answered. 
 ‘ Keep still your confidence in St. Joseph. 
 Death is approaching; but death, when you can in¬ 
 voke the holy names of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, 
 only ushers you into their presence.’ 
 
 “Thefever raged on, and within two hours from 
 the time I entered the hut the man was dead.” 
 
170 
 
 bt. Joseph’s help. 
 
 14. How Sweet it is to Die with St. Joseph as Oub 
 
 Guardian. 
 
 Mar y saints have said, and it is most true, that 
 at the hour of death our Lord shields with His 
 special protection the eoula of such as have in life 
 shown th@mse.vaa compassionate and merciful, and 
 have bestowed protection upon Him, in the persons 
 of His poor, suffering members in that hour of 
 extremity. 
 
 Not very long ago a retired major of the French 
 army died without any agony, under the guardian¬ 
 ship of St. Joseph, after a long and painful illness, 
 which he had borne with exemplary patience. 
 
 M. Francois F- ——, of Annecy, who had raised 
 himself foj his talents to the rack of m»jor in the 
 Savoy ard regiment, had, when not engaged in active 
 warfare, a far more difficult enemy to gain the 
 mastery over than any he was likely to meet on the 
 field of battle. His own eager impetuous nature 
 was a thousand times more dangerous to him, and 
 more difficult to conquer, than any mortal foe. 
 Therefore it was that Almighty God, Who had for 
 him special designs of mercy, vieked him with & 
 paralysis that necessitated his passing ten years in 
 an arm-chair. This must have been in order to 
 oblige this officer, naturally so active and energetic, 
 to lead a quiet and retired life; for in consequence 
 of hii affliction he was compelled to withdraw from 
 the army. He then toffs up his residence on an 
 estate belonging to him, which was situated on the 
 basks of the Lake ©f Annecy. 
 
BT. J SEPHS HELP. 
 
 171 
 
 Here he divided his time between reading good 
 books and saying his Bosary, In order to pass the 
 time away he used to get his servants to wheel his 
 chair every day into a little alcove which had bsen 
 made close to the principal street of the village, 
 where of an afternoon he often sat beneath the 
 shade of the trees to receive the visits of his 
 friends. 
 
 On one side of this spot stood a beautiful statue 
 of the Immaculate Conception, and on the other 
 s’de one of Our Lidy’s Virginal Spouse, St. 
 J sepb. Here be would frequently read the 
 “Annals of the Propagation,” the touching in¬ 
 cidents recorded in which often brought the tears 
 into his eyes. 
 
 If he happened to see a weary traveller or a 
 peasant, exhausted with his labors, passing along 
 the road, he would always send his servant to bring 
 them some refreshment. 
 
 But time would fail to recount all the acts of 
 charity which love for his neighbor inspired him to 
 fulfil. So let it suffice to say that despite his being 
 possessed of a military outspokeness, which made 
 it impossible for him ever to dissemble or refrain 
 from the frank expression of his thoughts, he had 
 not a single enemy. 
 
 To compensate this excellent man for his many 
 afflictions, God had given him a wife who was a 
 perfect model of cheerful self-denial and willing 
 mortification, and a daughter who was moat 
 amiable, and possessed of a solid piety. These two 
 devoted their lives to nursing him, and were to him 
 like consoling angels; their tender and exquisite 
 
172 
 
 bt. Joseph’s help. 
 
 1vV 8 assuaged bis sorrows, so that be scarcely 
 thought of bis sufferings. 
 
 It is to his daughter’s pen that we ow© the 
 following account of his last moments: 
 
 <? A1J is over; this morning my dear father ren¬ 
 dered up his purified soul unto God after thirty-five 
 years cf exquisite Buffering, which he bore with ex¬ 
 emplary patience. Shortly before hie death he said 
 to mo: 
 
 “ ‘ It seems as if St. Joseph would have me wait 
 for his month before eallit g me hence. Well, it is 
 a long time, but God’s will be don©.’ 
 
 61 Seeing tbit death was rapidly approaching, I 
 said to turn: 
 
 “‘ Bear father, I think that St. Joseph, loving 
 you bo vfry much as he does, wishes to have you 
 with him sooner than that.’ 
 
 “ At this his face Sit up with an expression of in¬ 
 describable joy, and he exclaimed: 
 
 “‘ Oh, my child, if only it may be so ; if only 
 God will graciously hear our prayers that it may 
 be so. 1 
 
 “ He requested once again to receive Holy Com¬ 
 munion. He then asked me to place a picture of 
 St. Joseph at the foot of his bed, so that be might 
 have it constantly before his eyes. A few hours 
 before his death ho desired to go to confession, in 
 order to gain the indulgence of the confraternity 
 of the ‘Bona Mors.’ 
 
 “‘My child,’he said to me, ‘I am now in the 
 death struggle; I can no longer pray for myself. 
 Bo you pray for me.’ 
 
 “ We all knelt around his bed 
 
 and prayed for 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 173 
 
 some time* and seeing that his dying eyes still 
 sought to look at the picture of St. Joseph, I held 
 it nearer to him. 
 
 ‘‘With his Crucifix in ore hand, and his Rosary 
 of Oar Lady of Lourdes in the other, he continued 
 to make the sign of the Cross from time to time, 
 and then, with one last look at St. Joseph, he 
 gr-ntly breathed his last. His fmo became quite 
 transformed, his features expressed such peace of 
 soul as it is impossible to describe. 
 
 u Our Lady obtained for him the grace to di 
 on a Saturday to reward him for the many Rosaries he 
 had said in her honor during his long sleepless nights. 
 
 15, CONVER ION OF A GREAT SlNNER THROUGH THE 
 
 Intercession of St. Joseph. 
 
 A Sister of Charity, who places all her confidence 
 in St. Joseph, has communicated the following 
 account to us. It will serve as on© more proof of 
 the salvation of a soul, the care of which wa have 
 committed to Mary and Joseph: 
 
 A lady, who not only lost the faith, but who 
 prided herself upon being an atheist, and who 
 seemed to delight in uttering the most frightful 
 blasphemies against God, His priests, and the 
 Church at large, was at length attacked at by a severe 
 and dangerous illness, and lay s ; ck for a long time. 
 Only the year before she was seized with this ill¬ 
 ness, she dismissed a person from her house merely 
 because she ventured to suggest that sh© should 
 provide that her niece, who was dying of cholera, 
 might receive the last Sacraments. 
 
 Yet, notwithstanding the malignity of her per- 
 
174 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 varsity, Almighty God looked upon this unfortunate 
 soul with an ey© of pity and compassion; and He 
 permitted that a train of circumstances should 
 wonderfully unit© to bring about the conversion of 
 this hardened sinner. 
 
 In the first place, she became acquainted almost 
 accidentally with a lady called Philomena, who 
 was, although the invalid was unaware of it, a 
 devoted client of St. Joseph. But what could be 
 effected in such a case of openly professed un¬ 
 belief and impiety ? Nothing could be done, in the 
 first instance, but to pray to St. Joseph, and to 
 place unbounded confidence In his paternal care 
 and pity, and in this verily lies the art o! working 
 miracles. 
 
 But Philomena not only prayed ; she was assidu¬ 
 ous in paying visits to the sick lady, and not less 
 assiduous in endeavoring, by the help of St. Joseph, 
 to season her conversations with wisdom, and to 
 lose no opportunity of introducing subjects calcu¬ 
 lated to lead to the conversion she had so much at 
 heart. 
 
 “Prayer!” ejaculated the invalid one day, “do 
 not talk to me of prayer! I know no longer what 
 it is to pray. Why, I do not remember a single 
 word of the prayers I learned when I was young.” 
 
 “ Then, my dear friend,” interposed Philomena, 
 “ suppose you b?gin to learn some new ones now 
 you are old. Join m© in saying a beautiful little 
 prayer, which we will offer for the recovery of your 
 health,” aid she began to recite the “Memorare.” 
 
 She was immediately interrupted by an exclama¬ 
 tion of: 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 175 
 
 1 '• Ob, I remember often having said that when a 
 child!’and the lady joined with her lips, if not 
 with her heart, in all the words of that efficacious 
 prayer. 
 
 This was a great step gained, and Philomena re¬ 
 doubled the fervor of her intercessions, and that 
 with increased confidence. But the alarming na 
 ture of the illness increased also daily. At last, 
 one day, with fear and trembling, this true friend 
 broached the subject of confession, and this elicited 
 at once a scene of violence. The invalid stormed 
 vehemently against the very idea of such a thing, 
 and protested again and again il that never, never, 
 never should a priest gain admittance into her 
 house.” 
 
 What was to be done ? 
 
 Oh, good St. Joseph! Is all our confidence in 
 you to prove in vain! Will you for the first time 
 turn a deaf ear to our supplications? But no; 
 that can never come to pass. We must pray harder, 
 and instead of letting discouragement cause us 
 to relax our efforts we must set to work more 
 vigorously than ever. 
 
 The next time Philomena called she brought 
 with her a pretty picture of St. Joseph, the patron 
 of the dying, and as she presented it to her friend, 
 she said: 
 
 <e See, you are suffering so much, you should 
 fasten this picture to your bed and you will be sure 
 to obtain relief if you will say for nine days, 6 St. 
 Joseph, pray for me.’” 
 
 To Philomena’s great delight, the invalid readily 
 agreed to do this, and in her joy at beholding her 
 
176 
 
 bt. Joseph’s help. 
 
 cnca more about to pray, she could not but believe 
 that her conversion must be near at hand. This 
 kind friend then went at once to an institution for 
 children, which was dedicated to St. Joseph, and ob¬ 
 tained that a Noveca should be mad© for the sick lady. 
 
 But what was to be don© about confession ? She 
 felt it perfectly impossible that she could ever 
 again approach the subject to her after the hot out¬ 
 burst of indignation it had before elicited. 
 
 “St. Joseph, I leave that to you,” she said. “ I 
 can venture nothing further in that matter.” 
 
 Meanwhile the Havana was commenced by the 
 children, and the invalid was as good as her word, 
 she daily Invoked St. Joseph, and when she was 
 well enough she said the prayer which was printed 
 under the picture. 
 
 Now came the second link in the chain of Provi¬ 
 dence. A good woman from Brittany was sent for 
 to nurse and give some special assistance that was 
 required, and this good creature, devoid of all edu¬ 
 cation or learning, but full of faith and unfeigned 
 simplicity, was the instrument chosen by St. Joseph 
 for the carrying out of his designs. 
 
 By degrees she began quit© naturally to speak to 
 her patient of the Sacrament of Penance, saying 
 how happy she would be when she had made a 
 good confession, and lamenting over the wicked 
 ness of those poor people who hate the priests 
 without knowing anything about them. At last 
 ske begged the lady to allow a priest to come 
 and see her. 
 
 The lady seemed almost to hesitate, but the evil 
 spirit did not fail to put an obstacle in the way. 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 177 
 
 “ What would people say,” she said, “ to see a 
 priest coming to visit me after my having declared 
 for so many years that a religious man should 
 never cross my threshold ? v 
 
 But the good Bretonne answered in her candid 
 simplicity: 
 
 “ The neighbors will only say, u Well this 
 lady has at least too good a heart to die like a 
 dog!’” 
 
 The last day of the Novena had dawned, Philo- 
 mena was directing her steps towards the house of 
 the invalid, turning over in her mind one last effort 
 she would try to make, when suddenly she met the 
 sick-nurse on her way to tell her the joyful tidings, 
 that the patient had herself asked for a priest, and 
 had received all the last Sacraments with wonder¬ 
 ful devotion. 
 
 At first Philomena, thought it must be a dream; 
 then she flew to the bedside of her friend, who em¬ 
 braced her whilst shedding floods of tears. 
 
 “ Oh, how miserable I have been!” she exclaimed; 
 “I maintained that there was no God who governs 
 us all, and now this good God, whom I have so en¬ 
 tirely forgotten and neglected, and so grievously 
 offended, forgives me everything. What a grace! 
 and dear St. Joseph, whose picture I treasure, has 
 obtained it for me. I was so impious, so unbelieving. 
 Oh! that I could prolong my life that I might 
 make reparation for the past, but God in His mercy 
 will arrange it all.” 
 
 Two days later she yielded up her soul into the 
 hands of Him who, by the intercession of St. 
 Joseph, had dealt so mercifully with her. 
 
178 
 
 ST. Joseph’s help. 
 
 The children who had made the Novena were so 
 overjoyed at the news of this conversion, which was 
 nothing short of a miracle of grace, that, in their 
 gratitude, they began at once another Novena of 
 Thanksgiving to St. Joseph. This is the real way 
 to obtain fresh favors. 
 
 16. St. Joseph Softens a Hard Heart. 
 
 In the year 1876 Mr. N——, of Marseilles, be¬ 
 came dangerously ill, the anxiety of his relations 
 was very great, not only on account of his great 
 age of over eighty-two years', which left little hope 
 of any but a fatal termination to his illness, but 
 also because h© had lived for the last sixty years 
 without any professions of religion, and in open 
 and persistent neglect of all the practices enjoiied 
 by Holy Church. 
 
 How much and how frequently his family prayed 
 for the beloved, but unhappy man, no one can ever 
 tell. How many tears were shed oyer him by his 
 wife and children, who alike deplored his delusion ; 
 but all in vain. 
 
 Meanwhile his pious wife had died, without hav¬ 
 ing had the consolation of witnessing his conver¬ 
 sion and shortly after her death his eldest daugh¬ 
 ter, who had an especially tender love for her 
 father, entered a religious order, in obedience to an 
 interior inspiration, which moved her to offer her¬ 
 self as a living sacrifice to Almighty God, hoping 
 by this means to obtain for her beloved parent the 
 grace of conversion. 
 
 It was but a few months after she had entered 
 
ST. JOSEPH S HELP. 
 
 179 
 
 the convent, and whilst she was, as a fervent 
 novice, devoting herself to the duties of her voca¬ 
 tion, that her father was seized with this alarming 
 illness. 
 
 His friends, as well as his relations, tried ©very 
 means they could think of to persuade him to seek 
 reconciliation with God, but in vain. 
 
 “ Let me alone,” he always replied; “ I will have 
 nothing to do with a religion that has deprived m© 
 of my dearest daughter.” 
 
 To everyone’s astonishment he rallied and re¬ 
 covered from his first attack, but he only continued 
 to lead, as before, a life of utter worldliness and 
 estrangement from God. 
 
 Soon, however, the hand of th© Lord again struck 
 him down, and towards the end of February a 
 severe relapse into the same illness caused the 
 greatest apprehensions to ba entertained for his life. 
 
 An excellent priest was summoned and brought 
 to his bedside by his sorrowful and anxious rela¬ 
 tions, but the sick man would enter into no con¬ 
 versation with him and he had to leave without 
 having accomplished any good, and when a few 
 days later he attempted to renew his vi&it, he was 
 flatly refused admittance. 
 
 At these distressing occurrences the anxiety of 
 his children became greater than ever, each of them 
 tried to storm the hard heart and soften their 
 father by their love and tears, but all vere equally 
 unsuccessful. 
 
 One day his second daughter, who was married, 
 said to him: 
 
 “ Oh, my dear father, you know how much we all 
 
180 
 
 ST. Joseph's help. 
 
 love you and how grateful we are for all the good 
 things we have received from you during the course 
 of our lives, but equally great is our distress now 
 at your refusing ©very consolation of our holy re¬ 
 ligion. We all hope on© day to enter heaven, 
 where our dear mother already awaits us; will you 
 alone separate yourself from us for all eternity! 
 Ob, no, dear father; you surely will not, cannot dj 
 go!” 
 
 But the dying man remained obdurate and hard¬ 
 ened, every appeal was unavailing. The parish 
 priest cam a and spok© to him of the love and mercy 
 of the Crucified, but when ha held the crucifix be¬ 
 fore him Mr. N— pushed it aside with violence. 
 There seemed no hope, but in prayer. Day and 
 night intercession was made for his conversion. 
 St. Joseph, the great patron of the dying, was es¬ 
 pecially invoked, and a vow was offered in case he 
 should grant their prayer. 
 
 In order to leave no stone unturned, and nothing 
 undone that could possibly soften the hard heart, 
 the thought occurred to them to obtain permission 
 that the eldest daughter might be allowed to come 
 and assist her father in his last moments. 
 
 The leave of her ecclesiastical superiors was 
 sought and obtained, so the young novice, in holy 
 obedience, left her cloister at once, and the next 
 morning humbly and quietly took her place at the 
 bedside of her dying parent. 
 
 Astonished and surprised, he at first regarded 
 her with a look of cold indifference, but by and by 
 it changed and softened into a look of loving Bor¬ 
 row. The hard heart could not withstand the mild. 
 
ST. JOSEPH’S HELP. 
 
 181 
 
 entreating looks and words of on© whose love for 
 him had caused her to offer up her life in sacrifice 
 
 for him. 
 
 Grace at last triumphed completely! His deter¬ 
 mined resistance broke down before the force of 
 this great love. A few hours later and he who had 
 bo recently scoffed at the very mention of prayer, 
 joyfully acceded to the proposal that the Rosary 
 should he recited at his bedside. 
 
 All bis children and every member of the house¬ 
 hold joined in praying and conjuring the Spouse 
 of Mary to accomplish his work to the end. For 
 all felt that this had been brought about through 
 the Intercession of St. Joseph. 
 
 The Rosary finished, the good priest was again 
 summoned, and this time his offers were willingly 
 and gratefully accepted. 
 
 They lefo him alone with the dying man, 
 who, with ©very mark of true contrition, made 
 a humble confession of his whole life, and 
 with touching devotion received the Sacra¬ 
 ment of Extreme Unction. Holy Communion 
 h© was not able to receive, as he was unable to 
 swallow. He lingered still for some days in un¬ 
 speakable suffering, which he bore not only with 
 patience, but also with gratitude. 
 
 “Oh, but I am. happy now,” he used to say, 
 even when the pain wm at it height, “ very happy.” 
 And as often aa the priest held the Crucifix before 
 him, ha would press it with joyful love to his poor 
 white lips, with the hands which, only a few days 
 before, had thrust it from him. 
 
 It had now come to the 25th of March, the feast 
 
182 
 
 ST. JOSEPH'S HELP. 
 
 of the Annunciation, and about midnight, as his 
 children were all kneeling around his bed, the old 
 man entered upon his agony. Once more he turned 
 his eyes, already dim, upon the Crucifix and then 
 upon his kneeling children, as if tJ sjy farewell, 
 and then his spirit sped into the presence of his 
 Creator. 
 
 His children at length arose from their knees, 
 with hearts full of consolation and overflowing with 
 gratitude to St. Joseph for the miracle of love that 
 he had wrought in obtaining for their father so 
 happy a death. 
 
 In cor elusion let me say, i? you wish to afford 
 a special pleasure to St. Joseph ask him by 
 prayer to help you to pluck out and destroy the 
 very roots of sin from your heart, and if, as may be 
 the case, you have some one on earth who is dear 
 to you, raid for whom you have already prayed for 
 a long, long time, that he might turn from the 
 path of sin, and as yet seemingly til in vain, do 
 not be discouraged. Go with confilenca to St. 
 Joseph; he knows what it is to lose God. 
 
 He once lost his Foster-Child, the Bon of God, 
 and sought for him for tin ee days with unspeak¬ 
 able anguish of heart. And so he ever has com¬ 
 passion upon these secret griefs, and understands 
 and sympathizes with them. 
 
 Call upon him urgently then to help you to seek 
 the soul that is lost to you, as he sought for the 
 Holy Child Jesus as indefatigably, as steadfastly, 
 so that you may find it to all eternity happy in 
 heaven. 
 
ST. JOSEPH'S HELP. 
 
 183 
 
 The following occurrence is one more evidence of 
 the fact that St. Joseph may truly be called the 
 Patron of the Dying. 
 
 The priest of the parish of Notre Dame in 
 Munster, Westphalia, was called one night to go to 
 a man who was dying. The house in which the 
 sick man lay was clearly described to him, and he 
 hastened thither with ail speed. But the inmates 
 of the house seemed all wrapped in profound 
 slumber. He rang and rang the bell, and at length 
 the door was cpaned, but in answer to his request 
 to be led to the sick man who had sent for him, he 
 was told that there was no on© ill in that house, it 
 must be some mistake. 
 
 The priest could only shake his head and go on 
 again wonderingly. Scarcely had he reached his 
 house before he was again summoned, and by the 
 same man, to go to the same house. 
 
 “ But I have but this moment returned from that 
 house,” said the priest, “ and they say there is no 
 sick person there.” 
 
 u And notwithstanding what thev said, there is,” 
 replied the unknown ; “ an old man is dyiog in a 
 room quite at the top of the house.” 
 
 The priest at once retraced his steps, and when 
 he came to the house he asked the man who opened 
 the door if there was not some one living in the 
 attic under the roof. 
 
 “ Yes,” he answered, “ an old man lives up there ; 
 but I am not aware that he is ill, he has always ap¬ 
 peared in very good health.” 
 
 The priest asked to be allowed to go up and see 
 him. And he found the old man ill, very ill, and 
 
184 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 nearly djirg. But he had always besought St. 
 Joseph to be near him, in his last conflict; and he 
 had not asked in vain. He was able now to re¬ 
 ceive all the last Sacraments, and before morning 
 he was dead. 
 
 Who was the man who had twice called the 
 priest ? 
 
 18. The Picture of St. Joseph’s Death, 
 
 In the large and populous town of X--lived 
 
 a rich gentleman, who had spent the greater part 
 part of his life in pursuit of the pleasures and luxu¬ 
 ries of this world, without religion or thought for 
 God. 
 
 But now when old, a grievous and lingering 
 disease had laid hold of him. He had been 
 baptized and brought up as a Catholic, but it 
 was in vain that his pious wife, or the ven¬ 
 erable priest whom she had called to her as¬ 
 sistance, pleaded with him to return to his 
 duties. He only laughed at them, and all their en¬ 
 deavors were ineffectual, to soften the hard and 
 flinty heart of the poor sinner. 
 
 One day a young and very simply-dressed woman 
 came to the house, bringing with her a picture 
 which she wished to sell. She told them that her 
 husband was an artist, but that for some months 
 past he had been obiiged to gwa up painting, since 
 he was suffering from an affection of the nerves 
 which rendered him unable to pursue his art. This 
 calamity had reduced their circumstances to such 
 an extent that they felt obliged to try to sell the 
 picture she had brought, which nothing but so 
 
st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 185 
 
 great a misfortune would have induced them to 
 part with. 
 
 She further added that she came to offer it first 
 
 to Mr. N--, because they had heard that he was 
 
 a great connoisseur, and rich. 
 
 At these words, she uncovered the picture, and 
 behold, it was St, Joseph lying on his death-bed, 
 and beside him the Blessed Virgin, his Spouse, and 
 her Divine Son! 
 
 It was exquisitely delineated, and Mr. N--and 
 
 his wife were equally charmed with the painting. 
 
 They soon agreed about the price, and Mr. N—- 
 had the picture hung up on the wall opposite his 
 bed, that ho might delight his eyes with the con¬ 
 templation of the beautiful representation of the 
 holy scene. And as his eyes constantly rested upon 
 what was so touchingly portrayed, it seemed as if 
 his heart opened to divine grace and softened more 
 and more. 
 
 Only the next day he said to his wife : 
 
 u I have a presentiment that my end is approach¬ 
 ing—if only I could die like St. Joseph, with Jesus 
 and Mary beside me.” 
 
 His wife endeavored to suppress her weeping as 
 she replied: ^ 
 
 “ Oh, Victorin, receive the Holy Sacraments, and 
 then death, which I pray God may not come to you 
 yet for many years, would become easy, nay, sweet 
 to you, through the intercession of the holy ones 
 you see in that picture.” 
 
 “ Do you really think so, Anna ?” began the sick 
 man, dubiously. “ St. Joseph can know nothing 
 about rancor and ill-will. What would he have to 
 
186 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 say to me when I have banished our only son Fer¬ 
 dinand from my home and from my heart since 
 he offended me by his marriage? When that 
 poor painter’s wife brought the picture to be 
 sold the other day, I could not help thinking to 
 myself, my son Ferdinand also is a painter; per¬ 
 haps he also may be in distress or poverty, but he 
 finds no assistance or help from me. For years past 
 I have left his letters unopened and unanswered.” 
 
 “Thy son Ferdinand,” rejoined his wde, with 
 difficulty forcing back her tears, “has been for the 
 last fortnight living in this town; he has been in 
 great poverty and distress, but he has refused to 
 accept any assistance from me, since I could 
 not give it without keeping you in ig¬ 
 norance of it. The price, however, which his 
 wife received from you for his picture has pre¬ 
 served ihem from destitution.” 
 
 “ What I ” exclaimed Yictorin, “ my son here, in 
 this veiy town! And that was his wife whom I 
 saw. Oh, my God! I thank Thee I ” he added in a 
 trembling voice. 
 
 “Shall I then send to fetch our son? ” exclaimed 
 his wife instantly. 
 
 “Do so, Anna,” replied her husband, “ and tell 
 him that his father’s heart is longing after a recon¬ 
 ciliation with him, and that I wish to learn to know 
 his wife. But bid them not to come till to-mor¬ 
 row, for first, before all else, I must seek to 
 make my peace with God. I can offer my Re¬ 
 deemer my broken and contrite heart, and endeavor 
 to obtain the expiation of my sins by a penitent 
 confession and fervent Communion.” 
 
bt. Joseph's help. 
 
 187 
 
 He received the last Sacraments with earnest de¬ 
 votion that day* 
 
 And on the morrow the meeting of reconciliation 
 took place between the parents and the son they 
 had not seen for so many years. No words can de¬ 
 scribe what it at meeting was, nor the introduction 
 of the wife and children, unknown till now. 
 
 6i My son,” said Yictorin, with tears in his eyes, 
 u it is to your rare genius that I owe both my re¬ 
 conciliation to God, to you and your family.” 
 
 “ Do not say that, dear father,” broke in Ferdi¬ 
 nand, a after God, we owe all the happiness of this 
 hour to St. Joseph. To his protection and inter¬ 
 cession I have every day committed myself, my 
 parents, my wife and children and the success 
 of the feeble efforts of my pencil.” 
 
 A few days later and Yictorin, surrounded by his 
 wife> his son and all his family, departed this life. 
 With his last breath, he uttered the holy names of 
 “ Jesus, Mary, Joseph.” 
 
 Y.—ST. JOSEPH OUR HELPER IN EVERY 
 VARIETY OF NECESSITY. 
 
 1. Venerate St. Joseph if You Wish to Die 
 
 Happily. 
 
 A Yene'ian merchant had the habit of daily visit¬ 
 ing an image of St. Joseph which stood in a niche 
 at the corner of one of the streets of the town in 
 which he lived. 
 
 Falling sick of a dangerous illness, which scon 
 brought him to the brink of the grave, St. Joseph 
 appeared to him as his last moments approached. 
 
188 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 At the eight of the saint, towards whom he had 
 ever been so devout, the sick man was filled with 
 consolation, but, above all, his conscieLce became so 
 enlightened, that in an instant he seemed to per¬ 
 ceive clearly all the sins of his past life, and in their 
 heinousc ess and guilt; while at the same time he 
 felt a new and exceeding great contrition, together 
 with the sweetest hope of pardon. 
 
 As a priest was present with him, he made a 
 fresh and fervent confession, and having received 
 absolution, full of peace and joy, piously expired 
 in our Lord. 
 
 2. Mary and Joseph. 
 
 The venerable servant of God, Alexis of Vigeva- 
 no, a Capuchin, ended his meritorious life with a 
 death full of sweetness. 
 
 A few mnn^nts before his departure he asked 
 one of the Brothers to light some candles. They 
 were astonished at his request, and wanted to know 
 the reason of it. 
 
 “ Our dear Lady© is coming presently with her 
 Spouse, and therefore it is fitting to light candles, 
 that they may both be received with the greatest 
 reverence.” 
 
 Soon they perceived that the visit he had pre¬ 
 dicted had already come to pass, for the dying 
 Father exclaimed, radiant with joy: 
 
 “There comes the Queen of Heaven I There 
 comes St. Joseph! Kneel down, my brethren, to 
 receive them reverently.” 
 
 But he was now to reap the fruits of this heavenly 
 visitation, for at the same moment, in the presence 
 
et. j:seph’s help. 
 
 189 
 
 of Mary and Joseph, he breathed out his soul into 
 their hands. 
 
 It was the 19th of March, the day of triumph 
 for St. Joseph, who visited this good religious on 
 his feast day, to reward him for the loving devo¬ 
 tion he had always shown to him. 
 
 3. St. Joseph, Teacher of Prayer. 
 
 Prayer and meditation are the food of interior 
 life. Therefore we shouM beseech St. Joseph that 
 he may obtain for us the grace to be very faithful 
 in these two practices, and that we may perform 
 them in a right manner. 
 
 Saint Teresa says : 
 
 “ Let him who needs a guide to lead him on in 
 the way of prayer and meditation take Sh Joseph 
 as a master, for he will show him the right path, 
 and safely conduct him to a good termination.” 
 
 Father Barry relates: 
 
 “A religious desired once, as she herself con¬ 
 fessed to me, to be freed from her distractions in 
 prayer. In order to obtain this grace, she felt her¬ 
 self inspired to have recourse to St. Joseph. She 
 did so with great devotion, and the gift of prayer 
 was bestowed on her in high measure.” 
 
 4. Father Picot de Clorivxere. 
 
 This saintly priest was a member of the congre¬ 
 gation of the Sacred Heart in the time of the terri¬ 
 ble French Revolution. It seems that he had ob¬ 
 tained from St. Joseph the grace of an ever-increas¬ 
 ing love to the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. 
 Against all expectation, he was ordained priest; but 
 
190 
 
 ET. JOSEPH S HELP. 
 
 he had so great aa impediment in his speech, that 
 he would have been unable to give himself to the 
 apostolic labors if he had not been cured of this 
 defect in a miraculous manner. Then he preached 
 in many churches, and as his only reward, he de- 
 drcd to obtain through the intercession of Sfc. 
 Joseph from God the grace to die at the foot of 
 the Altar in adoration of the most Holy Sacrament, 
 without being a burden to any one. St. Joseph, 
 who is so powerful over the Heart of Jfsus, cer¬ 
 tainly pleaded for the request of his client. For 
 one Sunday, when, as usual, Father Picct da Clori- 
 vi&re went the chapel in order to pay a 
 visit to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, he 
 knelt down, and as his weakness did not allow of 
 his kneeling upri >ht without support, he leaned 
 hie elbow on a railing which separated the sanc¬ 
 tuary from the church. Then he began to pray; 
 but his soul followed his prayer, and ascended also 
 on high before the throne of God. One of the 
 Fathers, who had just before heard his confession 
 and given him absolution, was witness of this holy 
 death. He died at the age of eighty-five years. 
 
 5. St. Joseph a Guide on the Road. 
 
 A pious lay brother of the] great Benedictine 
 monastery of Monserrat in Spain had the custom 
 of venerating with particular devotion the mystery 
 of the Flight into Egypt. 
 
 His heart especially grieved at all St. Joseph had 
 to suffer when he had to fly in such great poverty 
 and haste with Jesus and Mary into a strange and 
 idolatrous country. It once happened that his 
 
ST. j seph’s help. 
 
 191 
 
 brother had lo return to his monastery from a 
 great distance. Already the shadows of evening 
 were falling, it began to grow dark, and the monas¬ 
 tery was still far off. Suddenly he perceived that 
 he had lost his way, and he feared that he should 
 have to spend the night in the open air, surrounded 
 by dangerous precipices; and it was the more sad 
 as to the dangers of the mountains was added the 
 fear of the wild beasts which he knew infested 
 those parts. 
 
 All of a sudden, whilst he was full of those anx 
 ious thoughts, he saw not far off a man, who led a 
 donkey by a bridle. Seated on its back was a lady 
 of exceedingly great beauty, with a most noble and 
 majestic appearance. In her arms rested a little 
 sleeping child. The Brother hastened forward to 
 meet the stranger in order to ask him to direct him 
 in the right way. But his joy at this sight in¬ 
 creased still more, and was mixed with sweet con¬ 
 solation, as the unknown man bade him follow him, 
 and promised to guide him to the monastery. 
 
 Whilst they pursued their way conversations of 
 wonderful unction refreshed the heart of the 
 Brother, but scarcely was the monastery gate in 
 view than suddenly the guide and his family disap¬ 
 peared from before his eyes and nowhere was the 
 least trace of them to be discovered. But in the 
 heart of the Brother awcke the joyful conviction 
 that St. Joseph himself had been his guide and 
 that he had rewarded in this manner his devotion 
 to his sorrow in the mystery of the Flight into 
 Egypt. 
 
192 
 
 st. Joseph’s help. 
 
 6. A Beautiful Death of a Faithful Client of 
 
 St. Joseph. 
 
 The venerable Franciscan nun, Prudeniia Zag- 
 noni, who was renowned for her extraordinary 
 virtues, had during her whole life a most fervent 
 devotion to St. Joseph. In return, at her death 
 she received an exceeding great favor; for the 
 Saint appeared to her and assisted her in her 
 agony. In order to give her still more consolation 
 he held in his arms Him Who is the joy of the 
 angels, the Divine Child Jesus. 
 
 The good nun drew from this sight the sweetest 
 consolation and delight, and the nuns who were 
 present assisting at her agony were much touched 
 as they heard her conversing now with St. Joseph 
 and now with the Divine Child, thanking them for 
 their visit, and declaring that she tasted before¬ 
 hand the joys of Paradise. 
 
 From her looks and gestures it was evident to 
 all around that St. Joseph had given her the Divine 
 Child to caress in her arms, thus giving to his faith¬ 
 ful servant the highest proof of his favor that he 
 was able in the moment of her greatest need and 
 extremity. 
 
 7. St. Joseph a Master cf the Interior Life. 
 
 A Father of the Society ol Jesus, being on a 
 journey, met one day a young man with whom he 
 entered into conversation. He very soon recog - 
 nized in him a chosen soul, rich in graces and rare 
 gifts, so that he could not remember ever to have 
 found a soul more advanced in perfection. 
 
St. Joseph's help. 
 
 193 
 
 But his astonishment increased as he learned that 
 no one had ever instructed the young man; yet he 
 had heard him speaking on the most sublime sub¬ 
 jects like a saint and a theologian. As the Father 
 could not understated how this could be, he asked 
 the young man where he had gained this wisdom 
 and spiritual knowledge. 
 
 “Ten years ago,” he replied, “God inspired me 
 to choose St. Joseph for my patron saint and guide; 
 all that I have learnt has been from him.” 
 
 Then he spoke of the sanctity of the Foster- 
 Father of Jesus, and concluded his conversation 
 with the assurance that this saint was the special 
 guide and protector of these souls, who led a hid¬ 
 den and interior life. 
 
 8. How St. Joseph Rewards those who Promote 
 
 his Honor 
 
 When Father Lallemant was rector ©f the Jesuit 
 College at Bourges, he called two ©f the young pro¬ 
 fessors and promised each of them that they should 
 receive that grace which they most desired, if they 
 would exhort their scholars to generate St. Joseph, 
 and offer him such particular homage on his feast, 
 which was just then approaching. The two pro¬ 
 fessors Joyfully agreed to this proposal, and they 
 so zealously encouraged the scholars that on the 
 feast of St. Joseph both classes received Holy 
 Communion in his honor, besides performing other 
 practices of devotion. 
 
 On the same day, the two professors went to the 
 Father Rector, and revealed to him secretly the 
 particular grace they were each desirous to receive. 
 
194 
 
 ST. Joseph’s help. 
 
 The fir^t was the celebrated Father Nouet, who de¬ 
 sired the grace to be able to write and to speak 
 worthily of our Divine Saviour. It is not known 
 what grace the sec and asked for, but it is known 
 for certain that he, as well as Father Nouet, ob¬ 
 tained what he desired. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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