These candles cost the priest from one-half cent to one cent each, and the “dupe” will drop in from ten cents to ten dollars to have his prayer answered, so you can see that the Catholic Church is a good thing for the candle makers.

We will now give you a few idiotic prayers that are offered to St. Anthony by the followers of blind Catholicism.

“O, Glorious St. Anthony, noble Sunflower of divine conformity, I salute thee in the name of the Queen of Angels and of all the angelic choirs; and I thank Almighty God for the grace bestowed on thee, that like to this Great Queen and the angelic choirs thou wert ever conformed to His holy will.  I beseech thee that with this glorious Lady and all the angelic choirs, thou wouldst approach the throne of God, lovingly offer Him this my petition and strengthen it by thine intercession.

    “Our father.  Hail, Mary.  Glory.”

“I salute thee, Blessed Anthony, noble Narcissus-flower of knowledge, in the name of all the patriarchs and prophets; and I thank the good God for bestowing on thee, like to the patriarchs and prophets, the gift of divine knowledge and of foreseeing future events.  I beseech thee that with the patriarchs and prophets thou wouldst approach the throne of God and by your united prayers and merits obtain for me this my petition.

    “Our father.  Hail, Mary.  Glory.”

“I salute thee, Blessed Anthony, noble Carnation-flower of fervent love, in the name of all the holy apostles and disciples of Christ; and I thank the most merciful Lord for the great grace bestowed on thee, like unto that of the apostles and disciples, when He chose thee to proclaim the holy Gospel and to spread the Christian faith.  I beseech thee that with the apostles and disciples thou wouldst approach the throne of God and by your united prayers and merits obtain for me this my petition.

    “Our Father.  Hail, Mary.  Glory.”

We will give you an instance of this “St. Anthony’s” witchcraft business that came under my personal observation.  A lady was standing upon a bridge that spans one of the many streams that rushes down from the Adirondack Mountains, gazing at this crystal stream and watching the fishes below, and while standing there she was toying with a beautiful diamond ring that had been given her by her lover.  In a careless manner she allowed this ring to slip from her finger, and it fell into the waters below.

With a sudden cry those who were near her were attracted to the spot and she explained to them her misfortune, and it was not long until there was quite a crowd about her, offering their sympathy and also their assistance.

Some volunteered to wade into this stream and search for the ring, which was done, and a number of buckets of mud were carried up out of the stream from the point the lady had stated she had dropped her ring, but the ring could not be found.