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his words, and give up your opposition." He replied rather warmly, "Go away! the minister cannot condemn me, nor can you.' "Oh," said his wife again," that you had heard him to-day! Does not the minister, does not the gospel itself say, 'He that believeth not is condemned?""

As his wife and son importuned him thus with tears, he became thoughtful, restless, and perplexed. To obtain satisfaction, he sat down with his New Testament and lighted on the passage in Rom. ix. 30—33, "What shall we say then? That the gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone. As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded."

On reading this passage he seemed as if struck by a flash of lightning; he saw himself to be one who had stumbled at that stumblingstone. He perceived that he had hitherto lived like the Jews; that is, he had attempted to gain a righteousness that would avail before God, not by faith in Christ, but by his own works. But the hour was come. "Wife!" he all at once exclaimed, "now I have found it." "What?" said she, "What?" "Why, that the minister

was right. Neither I nor you belong to the people in the sacristy, as he once told us it would contain all the people who had living faith. We must be numbered with the selfrighteous in the nave. We have hitherto sought to be justified by our own works, and have not received the righteousness of God by faith in Christ; but, like the Jews, have rejected it. Only look here, and read! Now I understand the minister. I now see that he was blameless, and yet I persecuted and calumniated him. God forgive me, for I knew not what I did!"

"God be praised!" said his wife, “that you now understand one another.” "But," said he, "I will go directly to the minister, and ask his forgiveness." To which his wife assented, lest he should change his mind.

Accordingly, about three o'clock in the afternoon, Höllinger came to the parsonage. The minister was alarmed, for he was not aware that the wolf was changed into a lamb. "Now," thought he, "we shall have another explosion!" But what was his surprise when Höllinger embraced him with the utmost affection, and entreated pardon for all he had done against him. He then acquainted Boos with the impression made on his wife and son by the morning sermon, and how he had been led by their conversation to reflect on his past conduct and read the Scriptures. Having a New Testament with him, he turned to the passage in the Romans, and requested Boos to explain it. He was highly

delighted to find his minister's interpretation agree with his own.

Höllinger now took every opportunity of making known the gospel. He also went to Lintz several times, and acknowledged his previous ignorance and mistaken notions to the bishop and some of the magistrates. But he was not very cordially received; several persons were ready to exclaim, "Thou art beside thyself; thou art an enthusiast."

He was afterwards one of six deputies from the parish who had an audience with the emperor at Lintz, and petitioned him to protect their minister, and prevent his removal from them.

CHAPTER XIV.

Decision of the consistory-Renewed testimony of Sailer.

His

ALL classes-people, priests, and bishops-were interested in the decision of Boos' case. friends, especially Sailer and Bertgen, used their utmost endeavours to counteract the misrepresentations that were spread abroad respecting him. The former wrote to bishop Sigmund von Hohenwart (who had succeeded bishop Gall in the diocese of Lintz) to lay before him the true state of things; and Bertgen advised Boos to take the same step, which he did with his usual candour and frankness.

The bishop cited him to appear before him. He immediately complied with the requisition, and made an avowal of his faith, and of his determination to persist in it. The prelate appeared satisfied with his replies, assembled the members of the consistory on June 5, 1811, and laid before them Sailer's letter, and that of Boos. They came, in consequence, to the following resolution:-

"The Episcopal Consistory having taken into consideration the language and proceedings of Martin Boos, which have offended some of his

parishioners and occasioned the late investigation, are ready to admit, in consequence of the explanations given by the aforesaid, that he has taught no error nor dangerous doctrines, and that he has been free from bad intentions, but has been misunderstood. At the most he is to be reprehended for a too ardent zeal, and for explaining in a too exclusive manner the principles of the Catholic faith. As he has received suitable admonitions on all these points, the complainants may rest satisfied, both with respect to his discourses and the manner in which their zealous and irreproachable minister will fulfil his functions."

When this decision had been communicated to Boos, he called a meeting of the parties who had complained against him, in the hope of producing a better state of feeling towards himself. But his efforts were unsuccessful. They only said that they would consult with father Conrad and the priest Brunner, who were, in fact, the prime movers of the proceedings against him.

Bishop Sailer having received a copy of the decision of the consistory, and foreseeing that fresh troubles would arise, wrote to Bertgen as follows:-"The decision of the consistory is moderate, Christian, and just; but they must not place too much confidence in this apparent calm. It is evident that Boos has displayed extraordinary delicacy and prudence, and that his adversaries are animated by a totally

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