Life of St John Vianney.pdf - the Catholic Kingdom!

"HIS LAP.OUKS FOR nis PARISH. .51many n long year s bard struggle was before him ere yetthe field was won.He had begun, as we have seen, by drawing togetheraround him, and to the feet of our Lord, a littlecompanyof chosen souls, to go forth with him to the help of theLord against the mighty. He was no longer alone. Theirprayers, alms, and communions stayed up his hands whenover-wearied with the struggle, and one by one thestrongholds of evil fell before him. The noisy revelry ofi he tavern and the dance, and the inveterate practice ofSunday labour, gave way, by slow yet sure degrees, beforethe meek yet unflinching perseverance of his assault.Do not distrust the providence of God," he would say,when his poor people were tempted on a fine Sunday toplace their crops in "safety He who made ; your corn toirrow will assuredly enable you to gatherit in." Thosewho trusted to his word were never known to repent of:heir confidence."I was at Ars one summer," writes M. L Abbe Renard,during the hay-season.The week had been rainy,with the exception of a few intervals of sunshine, duringwhich the peasants had mowed their fields. On Saturdaynight the hay lay on the meadows, too wet to be carried.A glorious Sunday morning succeeded it; but thoughalltheir crops lay in danger of perishing, not a haymakerwas to be seen in the fields.Happening to meet one ofthe peasants, I said, by way of trying him, My friend,will not your crop be spoiled ? I am not afraid, saidhe ; God, who gaveit to me, can preserve it for me. Ourgood cure will not have us work on Sunday we ; ought toobey him. God blessed this obedience, as He alwaysdoes ; those who were faithful to it lived at their easeon the produce of their land those :only were ruined who