Book: Thirty Years In Hell

B >> Bernard Fresenborg >> Thirty Years In Hell




[Illustration: "THE TWO INSPIRATIONS."
PROTESTANTISM looks to the Holy Bible _for_
Wisdom--CATHOLICISM to the Pope!]




Chapter II.

Some of the Abominations of Catholicism Carried On in the Name of
Blessed Saviour.


What I will now relate is not hear-say nor something that I have read
about, but it is something that _I know about_, and which I
witnessed.

It is a well-known fact that Catholicism endeavors to impress her
subjects with the miraculousness of latter day miracles, as she will
hold up the bones of some supposed Catholic Saint, and declare to her
benighted followers that if they worship these relics, they will work
wonders and cure the ailment of any affliction they may be possessed
of.

For instance, they will take the bone of some Catholic Saint (?) and
admonish the followers of Catholicism to touch this bone, or to kiss
it, and declare to them that by so doing they will become entirely
cured of any malady that may rack their person with misery.

In fact, Catholicism will resort to all kinds of nonsensical
practices in order to completely keep their subjects in darkest
ignorance, which will enable the officials to "hoodwink" their
followers and make them believe anything the officials see fit to
teach them.

I will now relate what I saw in Munster, Germany. The news spread all
through Germany that the "Mother Superior" of the house of Saint
Clement was living upon "Holy Communion" only.

Now that the reader may understand what "Holy Communion" is, I will
here state that it is a thin wafer, used for sacramental purposes,
which would not weigh more than the one-hundredth part of an ounce,
and this is what they claimed the Mother Superior of the house of
Saint Clement was existing upon, she only taking one of these wafers
every twenty-four hours.

Of course, this was given out by the dignitaries of the Catholic
Church in order to blind their followers, and I desire to state
right here that I also believed that this was the fact until it was
demonstrated thoroughly that it was an infamous lie and that the
instigators were infamous impostors. However, pilgrimages started
from all directions to see this "Mother Superior," and when they
could not see her, they fought for the opportunity of praying in her
chapel. Some stayed for weeks and weeks to see her. Applications for
intercessions of all kinds of misery were sent to her, as these
simple "dupes" of Catholicism actually believed that this impostor
had the power to heal any ailment that might afflict them.

There were thousands of fanatics who visited Munster and hung their
crutches on the chapel walls and declared they were cured of their
ailment. The blind claimed to see by her intercessions. It was
claimed that all, possessed of every kind and description of
ailments, could be cured if the one who was afflicted only had faith
in this Mother Superior's wonderful power?

"The finger of God is in the land!" was the cry, and tens of
thousands of Catholics from all over the country gathered in Munster.

There was a certain man by the name of Friedhoff who doubted the
proclaimed powers of this Mother Superior and boldly declared his
doubt, and the Catholic world was indignant over the audacity of such
a doubt. It was learned that the Mother Superior would allow but one
sister of the institution to come to her room, and also her Father
Confessor. By the way, it might be pertinent to say that the Mother
Superior was an extremely handsome young lady; in fact, very young
for the position she occupied.

The guard that was placed over the Mother Superior was given
instructions by the Mayor of Munster to watch her closely and see
that she lived entirely upon "Holy Communion." The Protestant world
took an active part in this matter and gave close attention to the
guard that was over this "Mother Superior," as they were determined
to learn from whence originated this bold deception, as they were
thoroughly convinced that it was nothing more nor less than a
deception.

The confessor of the "Mother Superior" was changed and the sister who
waited upon her was changed, and in a very short time the "Mother
Superior" asked for food; thus it began to dawn upon the public at
large that they had been grossly deceived, and they began to learn
that all of these miraculous cures (?) were brought about and
promulgated by the leaders of Catholicism. Numerous physicians were
taken into confidence and an examination was made of the "Mother
Superior," and it was learned that she was pregnant, and it was
proven that the child belonged to the priest in charge of the
convent, who, by the way, was the one this "Mother Superior"
confessed her sins to.

This "Mother Superior" sat in her room and gave her orders to at
least two hundred sisters who were inmates of this institution.

The Catholic world advertised this "fake" so thoroughly that every
house in and about Munster was filled to overflowing with pilgrims
who came there on the strength of this well-advertised "fake."

Munster was the Mecca. Every train arriving brought in hundreds and
added great multitudes to the already great crowd. Some claimed that
the sight of the chapel, or even the sight of the hospital, healed
them.

Even the newspapers began to report the wonderful miracles (?) that
were performed by this "Mother Superior."

By this time the Protestants in Munster were getting very active and
denounced this worship in round terms, and set about to have an
investigation made, which was bitterly opposed by the Catholics. The
hotel keepers and shop keepers of Munster were bitterly opposed to
the Protestants' denunciation, as they were anxious for this "fake"
to be advertised as thoroughly as possible, as it was bringing them
in large revenues, as the thousands who were visiting Munster were
compelled to have raiment, food and lodging; but the denunciation of
this "fake" by the Protestants became so great that the bishop was
compelled, greatly against the wishes of the citizens of Munster, to
investigate, and this investigation brought forth enough to startle
the civilized world. However, it is only one of the many, many
colossal "fakes" that are promulgated by Catholicism. However, the
clamor of the Protestant world brought things to a crisis, as the
"Mother Superior" was ordered to stay in strict confinement and a
watch was placed over her.

This brought matters to a climax and the "Mother Superior" confessed
that one of the inmates of the convent had secretly carried her food
during all of this time that she was claiming to exist on "Holy
Communion." Of course, this is only one of the tens of thousands of
such schemes that are practiced by Catholicism all over the world,
and the Protestants were not surprised and stated boldly and above
board that they knew there was some "scull-duggery" attached to all
of this "fake" miracle business.

This "Mother Superior" fled from Munster, and it was learned that she
went to the City Rheine, on the river Ems, and gave birth to a child,
and the father of this child was the Catholic priest in charge of
this convent, who helped and was the prime instigator in giving out
to the world that the "Mother Superior" was performing miracles,
which was a malicious lie made of whole cloth and promulgated in
order to securely bind the followers of Catholicism to their
idolatrous belief.

This is not the end of the "Mother Superior," as she afterwards
practiced in the open what she had practiced in this Catholic convent
at Munster, as she entered a house of ill fame in the City of Rheine
in Germany, and there led a life of shame as a harlot of the world;
however, she was only living the same life she had been living when
she was sailing under the name of "Mother Superior" in this convent
at Munster.

Now, reader, if Catholicism would practice such abominations upon the
ignorant dupes of her followers in Munster, Germany, is it not
reasonable to suppose that she would practice them to-day wherever
she can fasten her hellish belief upon the minds of the people?

Hardly a day passes over our heads but what we see in some newspaper
where Catholicism is brazenly declaring to the intelligent public
that miraculous cures are being performed by some "hoodoo saint" of
their idolatrous creed.

One would believe that in enlightened America the Roman Church could
not wield such an idolatrous influence over her followers, but when
you stop to think that the children of Catholic parents are brought
up from infancy to believe all of this "hoodooism," it is not strange
that they fall into these idolatrous practices.

When America learns that the majority of the convents and monasteries
of this country are used for the purpose of shielding and protecting
Catholic criminals, and for the purpose of Catholic dignitaries to
glut their lust upon the female inmates of these institutions, and
will exact and demand laws that will force a rigid examination every
thirty or sixty days of these institutions, then the world at large
will know and thoroughly understand that these institutions are
practically the homes of depravity and licentiousness.

To give the reader more information in regard to what Catholicism
resorts to to impress their "dupes" with their idolatry, we want to
take up their great magician, "St. Anthony." The Catholic priesthood
teaches their followers that St. Anthony's spirit possesses the power
to answer all prayers, in fact, to perform any favor the supplicant
may ask.

Now, to illustrate what I mean, is this: Suppose you had lost your
pocketbook containing $50.00; the Catholic Church teaches that all
you have to do is to pay a few dimes into the priest's pocket and
then get down and pray to St. Anthony and you will at once learn
where your pocketbook is.

Now, bear in mind that this praying to St. Anthony don't cut any ice
unless you pay something, as every prayer must be backed up by money,
and the more money paid the quicker action you can get on St.
Anthony.

The Catholic Church calls it "St. Anthony's Bread Box," and right by
the side of this box they have a large number of small candles, and
you are supposed to drop the money into this box to pay for the
candles that St. Anthony uses when looking for what is lost, or to
light his path on his road to answer your prayer.

These candles cost the priest from one-half cent to one cent each,
and the "dupe" will drop in from ten cents to ten dollars to have his
prayer answered, so you can see that the Catholic Church is a good
thing for the candle makers.

We will now give you a few idiotic prayers that are offered to St.
Anthony by the followers of blind Catholicism.

"O, Glorious St. Anthony, noble Sunflower of divine
conformity, I salute thee in the name of the Queen of Angels
and of all the angelic choirs; and I thank Almighty God for
the grace bestowed on thee, that like to this Great Queen and
the angelic choirs thou wert ever conformed to His holy will.
I beseech thee that with this glorious Lady and all the
angelic choirs, thou wouldst approach the throne of God,
lovingly offer Him this my petition and strengthen it by
thine intercession.

"OUR FATHER. HAIL, MARY. GLORY."


"I salute thee, Blessed Anthony, noble Narcissus-flower of
knowledge, in the name of all the patriarchs and prophets;
and I thank the good God for bestowing on thee, like to the
patriarchs and prophets, the gift of divine knowledge and of
foreseeing future events. I beseech thee that with the
patriarchs and prophets thou wouldst approach the throne of
God and by your united prayers and merits obtain for me this
my petition.

"OUR FATHER. HAIL, MARY. GLORY."


"I salute thee, Blessed Anthony, noble Carnation-flower of
fervent love, in the name of all the holy apostles and
disciples of Christ; and I thank the most merciful Lord for
the great grace bestowed on thee, like unto that of the
apostles and disciples, when He chose thee to proclaim the
holy Gospel and to spread the Christian faith. I beseech thee
that with the apostles and disciples thou wouldst approach
the throne of God and by your united prayers and merits
obtain for me this my petition.

"Our Father. Hail, Mary. Glory."


We will give you an instance of this "St. Anthony's" witchcraft
business that came under my personal observation. A lady was standing
upon a bridge that spans one of the many streams that rushes down
from the Adirondack Mountains, gazing at this crystal stream and
watching the fishes below, and while standing there she was toying
with a beautiful diamond ring that had been given her by her lover.
In a careless manner she allowed this ring to slip from her finger,
and it fell into the waters below.

With a sudden cry those who were near her were attracted to the spot
and she explained to them her misfortune, and it was not long until
there was quite a crowd about her, offering their sympathy and also
their assistance.

Some volunteered to wade into this stream and search for the ring,
which was done, and a number of buckets of mud were carried up out of
the stream from the point the lady had stated she had dropped her
ring, but the ring could not be found.

At this point one of our Catholic "dupes" appeared and explained to
the lady that if she would put her trust in St. Anthony and would pay
$500, that St. Anthony would restore to her her ring.

This lady being a Catholic also, of course, was easily persuaded to
do this, so they knelt down and prayed to St. Anthony and beseeched
him to restore the lost treasure, and it was not long until all of
those in the crowd that belonged to the Catholic Church were in
sympathy with this distressed lady, and they were also kneeling and
supplicating St. Anthony to restore the lost treasure. They prayed
for an hour, but still the lost treasure would not appear; then the
ringleader of this barbarous belief informed this lady that the ring
had been swallowed by a fish. He pretended to be inspired and claimed
that he could catch this identical fish with the bait of St.
Anthony's bread. Everything was soon prepared and the line was let
down into the water, and sure enough a good sized fish was caught
upon this St. Anthony's bait, and the crowd went into rapturous
delight, as they were quite sure they had the identical fish that had
swallowed the ring.

As soon as the fish was caught a collection was raised by a priest
who was in the crowd for the benefit of "St. Anthony's Bread Box."
All of the Catholics in the crowd contributed, of course, as they
were afraid not to, for Catholics believe that if they do not do what
a priest tells them to they are sure to have something awful befall
them, and, of course, all of these Catholics believed in the
witchcraft of St. Anthony and believed that he was the actual
restorer of all lost things.

The Protestants in the congregation were determined to see what was
inside of the fish, so they followed the one that carried it to a
butcher shop and the fish was cut open, but naught was found in it
but what is usually found in any old fish that never saw or heard
tell of a diamond ring.

Now, this is one of the thousands--yea, tens of thousands of such
instances that are forced down the throats of the ignorant,
superstitions followers of Catholicism.

Now, what I relate above is true in every conceivable manner, and not
one sentence or statement is misrepresented.

This belief in the power of St. Anthony is simply abominable and
belongs to the dark ages of heathendom.

I have often wondered when I was acting as priest in the Catholic
Church why it was that Protestants, when they attended my church,
would look on in wonderment and surprise, and I attributed this
wonderment to a desire upon the part of Protestantism to make fun and
villify the teachings of the Catholic Church, but I now realize that
this bewilderment came from minds which had been elevated far above
the cungerings of the Catholic Church, and I am now surprised that
the Protestants who visit Catholic churches are not more bewildered
and mystified, as the teachings of Protestantism are based upon the
inspirations derived from the Word of God and the teachings of
Catholicism are naught but the rumblings of the dark ages.

[Illustration: "A LICENTIOUS PRIEST."
"A PROTESTANT PREACHER'S HOME"
"The unmarried life of the Priestcraft compared
to the married life of a Protestant minister."]




Chapter III.

All Children of Protestant Parents Are
Declared Bastards by Catholicism.


The Catholic Church declares that all of those who contract marriage
otherwise than in the presence of a Catholic Priest, that such
marriages are null and void.

Catholicism further declares that your darling child, which is the
fruit of your marriage, is nothing more nor less than a common
bastard.

How do you Protestants like to hear this? How do you feel when you
know that this is the belief and opinion of all Catholic dignitaries,
and this belief is taught to all the Catholic world by those who
presume to dictate?

Your darling baby boy or girl is branded as an illegitimate offspring
by Catholicism, simply because their parents were not united in
wedlock by a Catholic Priest, who perhaps is as immoral as hell
itself.

The reason why Catholicism so sternly demands that all should be
married by the priestcraft is from a monetary standpoint, as the
Catholic priest gets his fee, as he will not under any circumstances
unite any one in wedlock without a fee, and I have known in many
instances where the contracting parties were unable to pay a money
fee, and the grasping priestcraft would refuse to unite them in
marriage until they had given him some article of intrinsic value,
and I have often seen jewelry, silver-mounted pipes, watches and many
other things confiscated by the priestcraft before they would perform
the ceremony.

It is strange to me, indeed, that America, which is and should be by
every law of justice and right, a Protestant nation, is so
unconcerned and so listless over the insults that Catholicism daily
offers Protestantism, for if it is not a most damnable insult to
stigmatize your offspring as bastards, then we are unable to discern
and distinguish between a brazen insult and a flattering compliment.

Whenever America learns the actual and true meaning of Catholicism
and her teachings, there will be an awakening among the Protestant
world that will make the four corners of the government of the United
States tremble with a righteous indignation.

Now, if the offspring of that dear old mother is a bastard, then she
is nothing more nor less than a common whore, and you cannot arrive
at any other rational conclusion. This is only reasoning from
intelligent deductions; therefore, whenever Catholicism calls the
children of Protestant parents bastards simply because these parents
were not united in wedlock by a Catholic priest, they villify the
sacred name of father and mother, and trail in the slime of disgrace
the sweet memories of that sturdy old father and that angelic old
Protestant mother.

I am at a loss to know and to understand how Protestantism can sit so
unconcernedly by with folded hands and allow this vulturous foe of
human rights and human privileges to brazenly rear its institutions
in Protestant America, and teach such damnable doctrines about those
who have made America all she ever was, and is, or ever will be.

A creed or doctrine that exists upon the dwarfed ambitions of its
followers is undoubtedly an institution which exists upon the carrion
of human miseries, and is a menace to a nation, which possesses the
godly ambitions that permeate the minds of Protestantism.

We have in this country scores--yea, hundreds of Protestant fathers
and mothers who allow their children to attend Catholic schools, when
those who are teaching them in these Catholic institutions brazenly,
flagrantly and openly declare that those children are the offspring
of immorality, as they do not hesitate to say that all children are
bastards whose parents were not married by the priestcraft; but still
these Protestant parents allow their children to be taught by those
who villify and defame their parents' names.

This is one of the strangest things that has ever come under my
observation in the United States, as the Protestant world in general
knows that Catholicism teaches these things, and the Protestant
world also knows that under no circumstances nor conditions would
Catholicism allow their children to attend a Protestant college, but
Protestant parents go right ahead and allow their children to be
taught by a class of men and women who will boldly declare to these
children that their own parents are immoral, and that the teachings
of their youth were erroneous and would lead to everlasting
damnation.

Is it not about time that the Protestant world was arousing
themselves from this lethargetic sleep of unconcern, or do you
propose to allow Catholicism to convince you, by her doctrines of
degeneracy, that she is right, and that you acknowledge her as right
by you sending your children to her institutions of learning?

Catholicism has always made her boast that if she can control the
children until they are 7 to 10 years old, that they will control the
government in the future, and it seems as though Protestant America
is perfectly willing to risk the consequences, but let me sound a
warning in your ears in this chapter, which may not arouse you from
your national stupidity, but which, in after years, will rumble down
the avenues of the future the truthfulness of this assertion that
will make the Protestant world shudder. It is this: "_Unless you
guard the goddess of your American liberty with the patriotism of you
Protestant manhood, it will not be long until you will find this
government face to face with a problem more perplexing than the
government of France is wrestling with to-day, on account of this
Romish beast, whose jaws are dripping with the blood of doomed
ambition._"

Catholicism is like a thief in the night, as she goes about her
devastation of human rights with the tread of a thief and with the
cunning of a bold deceiver, which she is, and this country must
station trustworthy men upon the ramparts of this government to watch
her progress and batter down her foundation of superstition and
ignorance, or within the next fifty years America will find herself
bound hand and foot by this Romish creed of abominations, which has
caused every nation on the face of the earth that she has ever
controlled to wither and decay under her touch, like the tender plant
under the broiling rays of a tropical sun.

I have a right to sound this warning, as I know whereof I speak, as I
have traveled this Romish road of despair for thirty years, and I
know her cunning and dastardly deception so well that her history and
her teachings are to me like the primer is to the school boy or girl.

The warnings that I now sound in the ears of Protestant America are
not sounded by an alarmist, nor one who does not know whereof he
speaks, but these warnings come from one whose back has been lashed
for thirty long years with the whip of a Catholic tyrant, and I know
the history of Catholicism from beginning to end, for if one cannot
learn the history of an institution in thirty years' devout study,
then pray tell me of what use it is for man to apply himself to the
study of anything?

I was once as devout a Catholic as I am to-day a Protestant, and I am
only a Protestant to-day because I was forced to become such, after
having the scales of Catholicism brushed from my eyes, which had
been blinded by the superstition and fearful doctrines of this
abominable creed.

Arouse, ye men and women of America, or else the time will come when
you will not be permitted to make a protest; when your wives and
mothers are declared whores by Catholicism, and your fathers and
brothers are declared whore-mongers and your children bastards!

I have been a careful observer of events through my entire life, and
I never was more thoroughly convinced than to-day that we stand near
the threshold of Popish power in America, and I ask of the reader,
and of the Protestant world at large, Are we about to realize the
prediction made by the father of our country? Are we nearing the time
when liberty shall be bound to the stake by Catholicism? Are we
nearing the great Romish chasm that has swallowed up the hopes of
many nations? Are we nearing the crater of a Roman volcano that pours
out its desolation and devastation upon free men? Are we nearing the
inky night of servitude, where no light is possible, but the dim and
treacherous lamp of idolatrous Catholicism? Are we nearing the
stretch of waste lands that contains no friendly oasis for him who
seeks liberty? Are we building our own sepulchers to bury all the
hopes of liberty cherished by our forefathers? Are we willingly
carrying fuel for our own funeral pyres, there to be consumed by the
greedy and relentless ghouls of Catholicism?

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