example of the saints, we must keep it always before our eyes. The saints never lost sight of it; and it was for this reason that the fear of Purgatory never deprived them of their peace and joy of the Holy Ghost.
St. Lidwina, who so well knew the frightful severity of expiatory suffering, was animated with that spirit of confidence, and endeavoured to inspire others with the same. One time she received a visit from a pious priest. Whilst he was seated at her bedside, together with other virtuous persons, the conversation turned on the sufferings of the other life. Seeing in the hands of a woman a vase filled with grains of mustard-seed, the priest took occasion to remark that he trembled when thinking of the fire of Purgatory. " Nevertheless," he added, " I should be satisfied to go there for as many years as there are grains of seed in this vase; then, at least, I should be certain of my salvation." " What do you say, Father? " replied the saint. " Why so little confidence in the Mercy of God? Ah! if you had a better knowledge of what Purgatory is, of what frightful torments are there endured! " " Let Purgatory be what it may," he replied, " I persist in what I say."
Some time after, this priest died, and the same persons who had been present during his conversation with St. Lidwina, questioning the saint as to his condition in the other world, she replied, " The deceased is well off, on account of his virtuous life; but it would be better for him if he had had more confidence in the Passion of Jesus Christ, and if he had taken a milder view of the subject of Purgatory."
In what consisted this lack of confidence which met the disapproval of our saint? In the opinion which this good priest had that it is almost impossible to be saved, and that we shall enter Heaven only after having undergone innumerable years of torture. This idea is erroneous, and contrary to Christian confidence. Our Saviour came to bring peace to men of good-will, and to impose upon us,
