convictions, and I would be whipped back into the trenches of
superstition.

I have often tried within the past ten years to "nag" those officials
who were above me into a paroxysm of fury and have them excommunicate
me, as I tried to make myself believe that it would be better to have
them throw me out of the church than to leave it on my own free will,
but it appeared as though they discerned by intentions and they would
not do as I desired, and at last I made up my mind that I would swing
out upon my own account from the dark shadows of this superstitious
belief, and every word of this book has been written without a single
charge preferred against me by the Catholic Church, therefore the
Catholic Church cannot declare that I was not in good standing as a
priest at the time this book was compiled.

What I mean by "good standing" is that the robed monarchs who boldly
claim the power to damn the soul by excommunication, have not as yet
seen fit to eternally obliterate my prospects of ever entering the "New
Jerusalem," but as soon as this book is given to the reading public,
then those who wield the axe will let it fall with all the diabolical
vengeance of Roman hatred upon my head and declare the "pearly gates"
have been forever closed upon my depraved soul; but what I most desire
is to have the public understand that NOW, while I am writing this book,
I am considered AND AM BY ALL THE RIGHTS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH A PRIEST
AND ENJOY ALL THE PRIVILEGES OF CATHOLICITY AS SUCH.

Why I so earnestly desire to impress this upon the minds of the
reader is that I know so well the trickery of those whom I write
about and I know full well that the Catholic officials will at once
endeavor to make the world believe that I am an outcast and in bad