Willy Burke, or, The Irish orphan in America - Digital Repository ...

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 125
" So long ", replied Willy, " as you are pleased to
speak in such a manner of the doctrines of our Church,
you '11 get no information from me ; and, besides, any
one that speaks of a priest as you did a minute ago, is
not deserving of an answer from any Catholic ; so if you
want me to reply to any questions you put to me, you '11
ask it in a different manner".
" Well, then", said Wilson, assuming a gravity which
the mischievous leer of his eye belied, " I would fain know
what certainty you have, or can have, that this priest of
yours—I beg his pardon and yours for having applied the
word coon to so holy a man—is really authorized to absolve
you from your sins V*
" Indeed, Mr. Wilson", said Willy, in reply, " I don't
half like your way of talking ;
and I have a great mind
to let you look for knowledge elsewhere. At any rate,
I '11 just answer your last question, and then I '11 have
done. I 'm no great hand at quoting Scripture, so I '11
not trouble you with any texts to prove the power left with
the priests, but I '11 just tell you that I believe it, because
the Church believes it, and teaches it to her children.
Anything that I can't understand, I don't dive into it
at all, because I 'm not able to judge of these high matters ;
but I just believe what the Church proposes to me".
" More fool you, then", exclaimed Wilson, quickly,
"for what you call the Church is nothing more than a
collection of priests and bishops, as far as I can under-
stand ; and, of course, they can make just such laws as
tend to increase their own power over the people. I have,
really, no patience with such stupid dupes as you and
your people are. The Church, indeed ! What nonsense
it is talking of the Church in such a way".