ANDREW DUNN: AN IRISH STORY

BY THOMAS KELLY

The Remarkable Narrative of Andrew Dunn’s

Conversion by Reading the New Testament

Andrew Dunn was educated a Roman Catholic, and continued till he was about forty years of age, like his neighbors, taking for granted that everything his clergy told him was true. He was a shrewd, sensible man; but his sagacity, till this time, had been exercised merely on the affairs of this world. About the age of forty he began to think of the Gospel of Christ and his own ignorance upon the subject, and he determined to make some inquiries in a matter upon which the salvation of his soul turned.

First Interview with Father Dominick. Accordingly he went to Father Dominick, the priest of his parish, and told him that he wished to have a little conversation with his reverence. “Well, Andrew,” said his reverence, “what have you to say to me?” “Why, please your reverence, I have been thinking for some time back that though I can strike a bargain well enough with a neighbor, I am nearly as ignorant about the Gospel as a horse or a cow, and this I do not think becoming in me. Will your reverence be so kind as to put me in the way of getting some knowledge in this matter?” “Why,” answered he, “Andrew, I never missed you at confession, nor at Mass, and you are a very honest fellow; what more do you want than this?” “Why, then, sir, to tell you the truth, if any one was to ask me why I am a member of the Catholic Church I could not tell him, unless I was to say that my father was so before me, and this, with submission, I think a very foolish reason.” “But don’t you know, Andrew,” replied his reverence, “that you belong to the Holy Mother Church, and that there is no other true Church, and that all who do not belong to her communion are heretics, and will be damned?” “I have often,” said Andrew, “heard your reverence say as much in the chapel; but, with submission, may I make bold to ask your reverence how you know all this?” “Andrew, you are the first of my flock who ever dared to ask me such a question, and I do not understand such liberties! However, your question is easily answered. I know it, because the Church says so.”

Andrew was a little dismayed at first, but recovering himself, said, “May I make so bold as to ask your reverence, how came you to be so sure that the Church can make no mistake in these matters? For your reverence knows that it is but reasonable that a man should be a little inquisitive where he may lose or gain so much.” With an air of triumph Father Dominick answered: “If you will ask questions, know then that Jesus Christ has promised to be with His Church to the end of the world, and this makes her infallible, that is, incapable of error.” “This, indeed, is something to the point,” cried Andrew; “and if your reverence will make this matter plain to me I shall be easy in my mind for ever after.”

Father Dominick, glad to get rid of him on such easy terms, told him that the promise of Jesus Christ was to be found in the last chapter and last verse of the Gospel by St. Matthew, and having the promise at his fingers’ ends, he repeated it over in Latin for the benefit of Andrew. “All this,” cried Andrew, “may be very fine and very good for anything I know to the contrary; but, please your reverence, I do not understand one word you say.” “I know that very well,” replied Father Dominick; “we take care, for the benefit of our flock, to reserve the power of explaining such passages to them according to the true interpretation put upon them by the Church.” “With submission,” said Andrew, “may I beg an explanation of these fine and learned words?” “Why, Andrew,” answered Father Dominick, “the meaning of them is this: Jesus Christ promises to be with every council that the Pope shall call together to the end of the world; that such council, being the Church, shall be infallible, that is, shall not be liable to error; and that, consequently, every one who shall dare to dispute its decrees shall be punished as a heretic here, and that his soul shall be miserable to all eternity.” “Bless me,” cried Andrew, astonished at what he heard, “is all this contained in the short sentence your reverence repeated?” “Aye, and a great deal more,” replied he, “if I had time to tell it to you. With this passage we are able to confound all the pretenders to religion in the world; it leaves them not a word to say for themselves.”

Procures a New Testament. Andrew had learned when a boy to read and write, and being naturally possessed of a good memory was still able to read tolerably well. He used to work frequently at a Squire’s house in the neighborhood, and was taken notice of as a good workman. The Squire’s lady was very kind to the poor about her, and particularly in the two last hard seasons she employed herself with such diligence to procure food for them that she was the means of saving the lives of many who would have actually starved for want of proper food. But she also remembered that they had souls to be saved or lost; and she would, when she visited the sick, drop a word or two to call their attention to their everlasting concerns.

She began about this time to buy Testaments to distribute among the poor of all descriptions in her neighborhood. Father Dominick himself was ashamed to make any objection to this charitable deed of hers, although, if the truth was known, he would as soon that she had kept her favors of this kind to herself.

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