one church.  Yet attimes my heart was heavy, to behold how many nations there are who have not heard of Christ; and how those, who are called Christians, are divided into numberless sects, and how among these are many who are Christians in name only.  I determined to devote myself to the great work of the one church universal; and for this purpose, to give myself wholly up to the study of the Evangelists and the Fathers.  I retired to the Benedictine cloister of Saint Paul in the valley of Lavant.  The father-confessor in the nunnery of Laak, where I then lived, strengthened me in this resolve.  I had long walked with this angel of God in a human form, and his parting benediction sank deep into my soul.  The Prince-Abbot Berthold, of blessed memory, was then head of the Benedictine convent.  He received me kindly, and led me to the library; where I gazed with secret rapture on the vast folios of the Christian Fathers, from which, as from an arsenal, I was to draw the weapons of holy warfare.  In the study of these, the year of my noviciate passed.  I becamea Franciscan friar; and took the name of Brother Bernardus.  Yet my course of life remained unchanged.  I seldom left the cloister; but sat in my cell, and pored over those tomes of holy wisdom.  About this time the aged confessor in Laak departed this life.  His death was made known to me in a dream.  It must have been after midnight, when I thought that I came into the church, which was brilliantly lighted up.  The dead body of the venerable saint was brought in, attended by a great crowd.  It seemed to me, that I must go up into the pulpit and pronounce his funeral oration; and, as I ascended the stairs, the words of my text came into my mind; ’Blessed in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.’  My funeral sermon ended in a strain of exultation; and I awoke with ‘Amen!’ upon my lips.  A few days afterwards, I heard that on that night the old man died.  After this event I became restless and melancholy.  I strove in vain to drive from me my gloomy thoughts.  I could no longer study.  I was no longer contented in the cloister.  I even thought of leaving it.

“One night I had gone to bed early, according to my custom, and had fallen asleep.  Suddenly I was awakened by a bright and wonderful light, which shone all about me, and filled me with heavenly rapture.  Shortly after I heard a voice, which pronounced distinctly these words, in the Sclavonian tongue; ‘Remain in the cloister!’ It was the voice of my departed mother.  I was fully awake; yet saw nothing but the bright light, which disappeared, when the words had been spoken.  Still it was broad daylight in my chamber.  I thought I had slept beyond my usual hour.  I looked at my watch.  It was just one o’clock after midnight.  Suddenly the daylight vanished, and it was dark.  In the morning I arose, as if new-born, through the wonderful light, and the words of my mother’s voice.  It was no dream.  I knew it was the will of God that I should stay; and I could again give myself up to quiet study.  I read the whole Bible through once more in theoriginal text; and went on with the Fathers, in chronological order.  Often, after the apparition of the light, I awoke at the same hour; and though I heard no voice and saw no light, yet was refreshed with heavenly consolation.