Semper Eadem

Do you remember the passage in Chiniquy in which he describes the priest coming to his mother, and taking her only cow-the family wealth- to pay for masses for her husband? Well, a passage from an old biography of John Bunyan, in which he is speaker. He is referring to the time when parliament was raising troops to fight against the oppressive government of Charles I - determined to roll back traditional freedoms and re-instate Catholicism. In the meantime Charles favored high Anglicanism, which was proto-Catholic:

"Though I was but sixteen, I had heard enough to make me eager to strike against the tyrants that had trodden us down. My mother's sister, Rose, had her house stripped from cellar to garret because she went to the funeral of a man excommunicated for not paying church rate; and her sister, a poor widow, while carrying a skellet full of milk, given her for her sick children, had the milk thrown away and the skellet taken from her by the bishop's men!...Right glad I was to serve at Newport Pagnell, under stout Sir Samuel Luke, a man who could fight and pray, too..."

Rick, take note...

In other news, Dad and I will go to Chattanooga again today - he, to look for work and I to have a good look through the little house and see what must be done to make it ready for move-in...Can't imagine there will be too much...Remember to pray for Grace as she has surgery today.