for all their
doctrines and ceremonies, which word I also knew was contained in the
Old and New Testaments, although, to my misfortune, I did not then
regard them as a divine revelation. In fact, I believed no more in
the Holy Bible _as the word of God_, than I did in the doctrine of
purgatory; still I felt a desire to search and to ascertain whether
this _lucrative_ doctrine was contained in the Gospel, and in what
manner it was there established: at the same moment I recollected that
there was, on the chimney-piece of my room, a New Testament, in which
I had learnt to read, but which I had never opened since I was nine
or ten years old. I jumped out of bed, and hastily dressing myself,
resolved to begin, without delay, my researches on the subject of
purgatory.

With this sole object in view, I read through the Gospels, the Acts of
the Apostles, the Epistles, and the Revelation of St. John; confining
my attention exclusively to those points that tended either to
establish or controvert this doctrine. This perusal of the New
Testament, which, from my eagerness to satisfy my curiosity and
resolve my doubts, I accomplished without once stopping, except for
refreshment, proved to me that the doctrine of purgatory was not to
be found in the Gospel, but must have been derived from some other
source.

Indeed, my dear children, I did not find a single passage which
established it, either directly or indirectly: on the contrary, I was
struck with many declarations completely opposed to it. Thus I read in
St. Matthew: "The wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment,
but the righteous into life eternal." Matt. 25:46. This absolutely
destroys the idea of any intermediate abode between heaven and hell.

I read the song of Simeon, by which it clearly appears that the good
old man had no idea that he was to stop in the road to heaven, or that
he would have to undergo any _purging fire_ before he could get there;
for he exclaims, holding the infant Jesus in his arms, "Lord, now
lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy
salvation." &c. Luke, 2:29, 30.

I read the promises which Jesus made to the thief on the cross, when
he said to him, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom."
Luke, 23:42, 43. If there were such a place as purgatory, and if any
one were likely to be subjected to its fires, surely it would have
been this malefactor, condemned by human, laws, and probably guilty
of ma