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THE INDIAN ADVOCATE.
I think of the words of St. Francis
Xavier, 'What does it profit, etc.,'" he
said, writing to his parents, "it seems
to me that I still love this earth, not,
however, for itself, but for the good
one can do his follow men while here.
How ardently, then, but the
time has not come." The time of
which he spoke did not long delay
coming. After completing the studies
at St. Bertin's which he began in the
little Seminary of Arras, he returned
to his parents.
For a loving, delicate nature like his,
family-life was replete with charms.
But his soul heard the voice of the
Church, oppressed in the person of
Pius IX., and he could not resist its
call. He went to Rome, and took his
place among the defenders of the Pap
acy. Other pupils of St. Bertin's had
preceded him thither, the most note
worthy of whom was Arthur Gullemin,
the hero martyr of Castelhdardo and
Montelibretti. On the oth of April,
1866, he wrote: "I did but obey the
voice of conscience, and I daily con
gratulate myself on having come hero
for such a cause."
He was, however, not a choice sol
dier arriving at the regiment; for lie
wore spectacles, and this weakness of
his eyes obliged him to undergo an
examination. Thus failure was to be
expected; but being a man for an emer
gency, he discarded his spectacles, and
by his vivaciousness and good humor
succeeded in being declared fit for ser
vice. We can hardly imagine, what
the life of a Pontifical Zouave was at
that time. His letters are filled with
accounts of their forced marches; and
these not on the high ways, but over
rough mountain paths, in pursuit of
Garibaldians. In this' rough school
the soldier was soon formed not, how
ever, at the expense of the Christian;
for though it was a life full of perils,
the Christian suffered no damage. "1
hold to only one thing," he said, writ
ing to his parents, "namely: to koep
my conscience blameless; for to-day as
well as to-morrow, I may fall, a victim
to the fury of the banditti, and be sent
into the next world."
How exact is he to attend to his
duties also! He relates it himself with
charming candor: "We expected to
perform our Easter duties at Subiaco,
where we had a French chaplain; but,
being obliged to leave that city sooner
than we expected, we were prevented
from doing so, and now many are un
able to go to confession, on account of
their ignorance of Italian. 1 am asked,
how 1 will aquit myself of this dutT;
and in reply, 1 tell them that, since
the French chaplain is not here, I will
go to the Italian archpriest, and make
my confession to him in Latin. As
said, so done, this morning I made
my Easter duty."
Julius carried from St. Bertin's not
only the knowledge of Latin, but also
the habitual practice of prayer. "1
pray for you every day," he wrote to
his parents, adding these beautiful
words, "I pray little, it is true, but, as
a Christian soldier, 1 pray well." The
soldier, however, did not eclipse the
apostle; for during those long watch
hours, during those many nights, spent
in pursuit of the enemy, he thought of
his future.
"If 1 am preserved from the enemy's
ball, I know what I will do." What
was it that this man of self-sacrifice
wished to do? Was it to quit the uni
form of a Zouave for the coarse habit
worn by the sons of St. Theresa, or to
go forth, to carry the Faith to the
hearts of Infidels. His letters show
with what care he made his choice
between those two states.
On the 9th of September, 1867, in a
letter to his parents, he says, "Thanks
to God! My vocation to the priesthood
is stronger than ever. Should you wish
to- see me before my entering the con
vent, inform me, and I will spend eight
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