the mass, the priest that offers sacrifice is also our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Great was the power which God gave to man, but the power given by Christ to his priests is infinitely greater. Whenever they say mass, they hold in their hands after the words of consecration, Jesus Christ, their Lord and God, to receive him and to give him to all those who wish to receive him in holy communion. This power of the priest surpasses even the power of creation. By creation, God produces the substance of bread, out of nothing, by his word. But, by words of priests, in consecration, the substance of bread and wine is changed into the most sacred body and blood of Christ. To whom shall I compare the priest? Next to God, his equal can not be found even in heaven or earth.

"And more,-power is given to priests to free men from their sins. Seek where you will, through heaven and earth, you will find but one created being who can forgive sins, and that is the priest, the Catholic priest.

"Who can forgive sins except God? was the question which the Pharisees sneering, ly asked. Who can forgive sins? is the question which the Pharisees of the present day also ask; and I answer, There is a

man on earth who can forgive sins, and that man is a Catholic priest. The sinner who goes to the priest in confession will be just as well absolved as the sinner who goes to the blessed Lord himself. The priest not only declares that the sinner is forgiven, but he really forgives him. The priest raises his hand, he pronounces the words of absolution, and in an instant, quick as a flash, the chains of hell are burst asunder and the sinner becomes a child of God. So great is the power of the priest that the judgments of heaven itself are subject to his decision. The priest

absolves on earth, and God absolves in heaven. The priest is the ambassador, the plenipotentiary of God. He is the co-operator, the assistant of God in the work of redemption. 'We are the co-operators and assistants of God' (I Cor. 3).

(These words are quoted from "God the Teacher of Mankind," Michael Muller.)

"To the priest also is given the power of preaching the Word of God, and governing the faithful. They also have power to bless or consecrate things for the divine service, as altars, chalices, vestments, churches, holy water and the bread and wine."

Many were so impressed with the pow. ers of the priesthood that they removed

their children from the heretic school. Aunt Eulalia felt obliged to leave her brother's roof and seek another abiding place.

But time passed on, and a second year found Frederico and his mother still in the town of Altiza and the heretic maestro still directing the town school.

CHAPTER XV.

TESTED.

The old town church stood backing against the rocky mountain slope. Its front tower looked down over the houses, and from this tower the bell called the devout to worship. The back tower was seldom entered.

Up the dark stairway, leading into this tower, there stepped slowly, one evening, two men. They were lifting, or rather leading, something between them. It was a girl. It was Constancia.

Reaching the landing, they paused a moment, when one took from his pocket a key. The door grated on rusty hinges as

it opened before them.

"Madre Santisima! How I hate to entomb so beautiful a creature here! Foolish maident, recant! I will bear thy word to the priest, that thou spend not this night here!"

The girl made no reply, but she shuddered, and closed her eyes as they drew her within, locking the door upon her.

She wondered why she had not called for help as they led her along the passageway. None could hear her now! But sinking upon her knees, there went up from her heart a strong cry to her God, the God she had learned to love since she had known and loved her Frederico. Then looking about her in the twilight, she saw the dusty cobwebs hanging, and above her the iron-grated window, so high that she could only reach her fingers through the bars as she stood upon her tiptoes. In one corner of the little room was a piece of native mat, and near it a brazero (earth. en jar), with bits of half-burned charcoal. An earthen cup lay upon the floor, and Constancia shivered as she wondered if the poor unfortunate who had been allowed to warm her "atole" on these coals had been a girl like herself, and whether she had escaped.

Night had filled the room, but still she crouched upon the floor waiting and thinking.

She understood it all now. Why Aunt Eulalia had sent for her on pretext of illness. How she had begged her to renounce her heresy, and how at last she had in anger bade her return home, but as a last favor, asked her to go to see little Rosita, Constancia's little protege, who was sick