The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"""""intention,at night?SACRED IMAGES. 239"retorted the Parson. Don tyou prayobserved Tom.said the Parson Ye|," ;; you pray to the bedI"pray at my bed." "Yespost.""Oh, no !said the reverend gentleman ;have no intention of doingthat." "Who cares,""replied Tom, your intention."The moral rectitude or depravity of our actionscannot be determined without taking into accountthe intention.There are many persons who have been taughtin the nursery tales that Catholics worship idols.These persons, if they visit Europe, and see an oldman praying before an image of our Lord or a Madonna, which isplaced along the wayside, are atonce confirmed in their prejudices. Their zealagainst idols takes fire, and they write home, adding one more proof of idolatry against the benighted Komanists. If these superficial travellershad only the patience to question the old man, hewould iell them, with simplicity of faith, that thestatue had no life to hear or help him, but that itscontemplation inspired him with greater reverencefor the original.As I am writing for the information of Protestants, I quote with pleasure the following passage,written by one of their own theologians, in the Encyclopedic(Edit. d Yverdun, torn. 1, art. Adorer) :When Lot prostrates himself before the two angels, it is an act of courtesy towards honored guests;when Jacob bows down before Esau, it is an act of