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Show GRACE TRIUMPS. A Lutheran Minister Embraces the Truth. A conversion of more than ordinary consideration and one that has not been made public to any great extent, took place at Port Angeles early last month, says the Catholic Progress of Seattle. It was that of the Rev. Otto H. Meltzer, who had been for twelve yeafs a Lutheran minister and for two years in charge of the Lutheran church at Port Angeles. Mr. Meltzer was born in Germany thirty-five years ago and received his education in that coun-try coun-try He has traveled a great deal and is , a fine linguist, speaking fluently a number of languages. His relatives for generations back have been Lutherans, Luth-erans, his father and grandfather having hav-ing been ministers of that denomination. denomina-tion. For about a year Mr. Meltzer has been receiving instructions from Rev. Father Gribbin and was received Into the church by this zealous priest. Mr. Meltzer is now studying, under the direction di-rection of Rt. Rev. Bishop Orth of Victoria for the priesthood and wi!j thl3 fall enter a seminary to complete his studies. The following is an extract ex-tract from an address delivered by Mr. Meltzer on the Sunday following his reception into the church on the subject sub-ject "Why I Became a Catholic": Most of you, I believe, know me and know about the change I made. Formerly For-merly a Lutheran minister, I am now a Catholic layman. I have left the church of my parents and relatives to join that of my ancestors. I have returned to the church from which the Lutheran church has sprung; the Holy Catholic church. Many will blame me for what I have done; some of my former for-mer friends may turn their backs on me after this, though I can assure them that I am having the same friendly feelings toward, them now .as before, and some might lay "the blame for miy i conversion on somebody else. My De-! De-! loved brethren, if there is any one to be "blamed" it is I alone. I knew- perfectly per-fectly well what I was doing when t I acked to be received into the Catholic I church. My entering the church is the result of many years' study. But why did I not join long ago. The prejudice I had against the Catholic church is the only reason I can give. Those who were born and brought up in the Catholic church are hardly able to understand the difficulties Protestants, Protest-ants, especially Protestant clergymen, encounter when taking into consideration considera-tion the Catholic church. The last root of such prejudice had to be removed by earnest prayer. For years my heart has been longing for the church which holds the, promise prom-ise of infallible teaching, - the church to which Christ promised and sent the spirit of truth; the church to which Christ promised ;that the gates of hell should not prevail against her; the church to the leader of which he said. "Behold, I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world;" the church which enjoys a sound and solid organization; the church which worships Almighty God in a proper way; the church which lays the proper stress on the most blessed sacrament of the altar; the church which teaches regeneration by baptism and the necessity neces-sity of. infant baptism: the church which insists upon private confession and priestly absolution; the church which upholds and teaches the com-'munion com-'munion of saints and honors them. To join this church has been the desire de-sire of my heart for many years, and, though I, when a Lutheran minister, have faithfully discharged my duties toward my church and my people, this desire was in me and grew from year to year, in spite of a!l changes of time, place and circumstances, till I, by the grace of God, found strength to come to Port Angeles and request my old friend, the Rev. Father Gribbin, to receive re-ceive me into the mother church. |
