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[Illustration: Yours in His name
Bernard Fresenborg.]
"Thirty Years in Hell"
... OR ...
"From Darkness to Light."
BY
Ex-Priest, Bernard Fresenborg,
Who for thirty long years tread the slippery and deceitful path
of abhorrent Catholicism, but who to-day stands at the
Vatican's door, with the torch of Protestant wisdom,
and denounces Popery with a tongue
livid with the power of
a living God.
Like a Meteor From God's Throne,
This great book has stirred America from center to circumference.
About 400 Large Pages,
And each Page a stinging rebuke to Roman Catholicism.
Published by
North-American Book House,
St. Louis, Mo.
Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1904, by
NORTH-AMERICAN BOOK HOUSE,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Transcriber's Note: A number of typographical errors found in the
original text have been corrected in this version. A list of these
errors is provided at the end of the book.
Author's Announcement.
A structure of enlightenment is to be built in this land, which to
finish, every man of intellectual power must contribute.
The structure which I refer to, is the structure of "SPIRITUAL
LIBERTY," as the spiritual part of man must have room to expand and
grow the same as any other God-given privilege that man is blessed
with.
Unless we grow in faith we become dwarfs in the worship of God.
Those who go forth into the world and profess to be the teachers of
men should be giants of intellect and fully prepared to contribute to
this monument of "SPIRITUAL LIBERTY."
These giants are the "KNIGHTS OF THE SPIRIT," who stand upon the
summit of righteousness and proclaim an intelligent God to a sinful
world.
Many say they do not feel that they possess the ability to contribute
to this structure of "SPIRITUAL LIBERTY," but I say, none who possess
the power to reason are exempt, for if they cannot place in the arch
of this structure the golden "key-stone" that shall securely bind
this structure together, they can carry mortar or stones, which is as
imperative in this structure, as the polished "Cap stone" which shall
complete this great pyramid of emancipation.
I do not crave to have my name engraven in bold letters upon the "Cap
stone" of this structure, but I do desire to contribute my mite
towards the completion of this grand structure of free thought,
which, when completed, will stand out upon the horizon of time as a
towering monument to Christ and his cause.
Roman Catholicism, as taught by our modern priests and inspired by
the papal power at Rome is naught but the distant rumblings of an
antiquated chariot of darkness, as the teachings of this MONARCHICAL
creed has naught in view but the enslavement of reason for the
financial gain and benefit of the "Robed" few who claim the right to
think for the masses.
For thirty long years I was bound to this bewitching spirit of
darkness by the chords of superstition and never dared to look above
my blind superiors for wisdom, until a "something" which I will call
"fate" broke the windows of my mental dungeon and permitted the light
of "SPIRITUAL LIBERTY" to filter through my being which awoke "reason
and common sense" from her long sleep of lethargy.
Now, what I once thought "Holy" I detest as abominable; What I once
worshipped, I now hate.
It is not the glitter of gold nor the applaudits of the protestant
world that I crave, but it is the Master's approval that I desire.
Therefore I deem it my duty to both God and mankind to proclaim to
the world what I know of the awfulness of Roman Catholicism, and I
know enough to make my poor soul often wonder if I shall ever be
permitted to sing with the blest around that GREAT WHITE THRONE in
the New Jerusalem.
As you peruse these pages, I pray that you may whisper a prayer to
God in my behalf, as I am now fifty-six years old and only a child in
wisdom.
With pity for the blind hosts of Catholicism and a prayer upon my
lips for their deliverance from the trenches of paganism, I dedicate
this book to the world as coming from a heart which poured out its
youth's vitality upon the barren fields of superstition, and wasted
its vigor in serving only the god of myths. With a feeling of
brotherly love for the entire world, I am,
Yours in His name,
BERNARD FRESENBORG.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Page.
Who I Am, What I Am, and Why I Am What
I Am. 15
CHAPTER II.
Some of the Abominations of Catholicism
Carried On in the Name of Our Blessed
Savior. 33
CHAPTER III.
All Children of Protestant Parents,
Declared Bastards by Catholicism. 51
CHAPTER IV.
Tear from the Citadel of Reason, the Power
to Reason and You make Slaves of Humanity. 65
CHAPTER V.
Innocent Girlhood at the Confessional Box. 81
CHAPTER VI.
The Nations completely dominated by the Power
of the Pope, are Nations of Illegitimacy. 97
CHAPTER VII.
The Power of the Pope in Cuba, Porto Rica
and the Philippine Islands. 109
CHAPTER VIII.
Monasteries are often Criminals' Abode, and
Nunneries the Slaughter Pens of Virtue. 127
CHAPTER IX.
Unmarried Cussedness of the Roman
Priest-Craft. 149
CHAPTER X.
A Brazen Insult to God. 171
CHAPTER XI.
The Characters of the Followers of
Catholicism, Compared to the Followers
of Protestantism. 181
CHAPTER XII.
Why the Teachers in our Public Schools
should not be Selected from the Ranks
of Catholicism. 193
CHAPTER XIII.
The Influence of the Priesthood in America. 223
CHAPTER XIV.
The Chastity of the Home Invaded by
the Lustfulness of the Priest-Craft. 239
CHAPTER XV.
Nations which have been Disgraced by the
Toleration of Popish Rule. 255
CHAPTER XVI.
Nearing the Trenches of Physical Strength. 281
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page
Author's Picture. 2
"What Shall I Do To Be Saved?" 14
The Two Inspirations--The Holy Bible
and Catholicism. 33
The Unmarried Life of the Priest-Craft,
compared to the Married Life of
Protestant Ministers. 50
The Two Ways--"As the Twig is Bent, the
Tree's Incline." 64
Immorality of the Priest-Hood--With Romish
Lust, the Blossom of Virtue is Destroyed. 80
America's Ruin. 96
Free in Name Only--Take Their Chains Off
Uncle Sam, or You will always have
Trouble with Them. 108
Save The Girls--Batter Down the Doors of
Convents, and the Civilized World will
Stand Amazed. 126
Take Your Choice--The Christ of Protestantism
Compared to the God of Catholicism. 148
Being Ex-Communicated for Reading the
Bible--"May She Be Damned in her Mouth,
in Her Breast, in Her Heart, Etc., Etc." 170
A Modern Judas--In His Wake, Misery always
Follows. 180
Foes to Knowledge--Like a Poisonous
Serpent, Etc., Etc. 192
Heathenish Practices--A Catholic "Dupe"
Kissing the Supposed Bone of St. Ann. 222
A Catholic Tool--Begging in the Name of
the Lord, but in Reality, to Support the
Priest-Craft, Etc. 238
Systematic Robbery--The Road to Glory along
the Catholic Highway, Etc. 254
Uncle Sam--"Here is Your Next Fight Boys." 280
[Illustration: "WHAT SHALL I DO TO BE SAVED"
"The dawn of Protestantism upon Ex-Priest Fresenborg
after thirty years in the Roman Catholic Church."]
Chapter I.
Who I Am, What I Am, and Why I Am What I Am.
My parents were Catholics, and for this reason I suppose, is why I
became a Catholic Priest.
I was born in Germany, in 1847, thus you see I am now almost what the
world would call an old man--56 years old.
A few years ago, I was of the opinion that my life had been well
spent, but to-day I firmly believe that the major part of my life has
been spent in erroneous doctrines and nonsensical teachings, as the
broad light of wisdom and independent thought has penetrated the dark
resources of my bewildered conception of right, and has caused me to
look upon things in general in an intelligent manner. Therefore, I
feel that my youth and the vigorous years of my manhood have been
spent in what one might term idolatry.
From this time forward I am going to endeavor to undo, as near as
possible, what I have helped to accomplish in the past.
In the first place, I desire to give the reader an idea of who I am,
as the reader is entitled to this knowledge, and in the second place
I want the reader to understand what I am, and in the third place to
understand why I am what I am, as there must be a reason for all
things.
My ancestors came from Sweden, but becoming tired of religions
warfare under Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, they settled in a
Catholic colony in Germany, in the southern part of the Dukedom of
Oldenburg, near the River Haase.
The reader, if he be a Protestant, is familiar with Protestant
affiliations, and I am led to believe belongs to one of the many
Protestant denominations, known under the head of Methodist, Baptist,
Christian, United Brethren, Presbyterian, Free Baptist, or some one
of the many other Protestant Churches. Therefore you can easily see
why it was that I became a Catholic, as I was taught it from my
infancy.
My father, like his ancestors, lived in Essen, Oldenburg. Essen is a
town of considerable trade in grain, in fine Oldenburg horses and
Holstein cows, in fact, it is a town noted for its fine stock.
The beautiful town of Essen has a considerable population. Two fine
rivers, which unite their rapid waters in its very midst, make it an
ideal spot to live.
My relatives were among the first and best families of the Dukedom.
These families were by name Dickmann, Meyer, Junker and Mohlenkamp,
who are at the head of the intellectual and material movements of
that place. They are all related by marriage and intermarriage to the
Fresenborgs. My parents had ten children. This, however, may not
interest the reader, so I will confine myself to my own biography.
The school to which I was sent was one of the leading schools and had
a world-wide reputation, especially of sending many scholars and
students to the gymnasium and afterwards to universities for
different branches of sciences.
It seems as though all of those who attended this school became
successful in their individual careers, as lawyers, doctors or some
other of the chosen avocations of life.
I was raised, I might say, under the walls of the free City of
Bremen, and was inspired with the idea of freedom, and this, perhaps,
may be the reason why, when I have come to be an old man, that I have
shaken off this eternal bondage of Catholicism and launched my boat
so late in life upon the broad waters of Protestant freedom.
As the son of a wealthy family, I was sent to the Gymnasium of Vechta
for higher studies, where I received the best education which Germany
could give to her sons, and from there I was dismissed with the
diploma of "Maturity" in 1870, which was a passport to any man
holding such a diploma in any scholarly community, for a diploma from
this institution meant all that it implied.
After I had gone through a perfect study of Gymnasium, and after
having obtained my diploma, I could then decide for any career that
I might choose.
About this time came the disturbance of all of Germany caused by "The
German-French War." Like every patriot, I volunteered as a soldier,
but the officers in the German army were practical men and they had
little use for unseasoned "student soldiers" in the field of action,
and I was left in garrisons where universities were situated, where I
had military practice for a few hours each day, and then could follow
my studies at the same time.
Peace followed quickly after the Waterloo of Napoleon III at Sedan,
and this peace was restored quickly in the "fatherland," as not one
victorious Frenchman had crossed the "Rhine."
I followed my favorite study, forestry and agriculture, for some
time, but as my parents and my forefathers, both on my father's and
mother's side, had been devout Catholics, I had an earnest longing to
become a Catholic Priest, as I desired to go forth in the world and
proclaim the cause of Christ, believing that Catholicism was the
only church which had a right to establish her doctrines, and, of
course, cast my lot with this church, and to-day finds me an old man
with every vestige of childhood's faith shaken from center to
circumference, as I have lived in America so long and seen so much of
the intelligence of Protestantism, and so much of the deception of
Catholicism, I could not remain in the Catholic Church and be true to
my conception of what was right and wrong, therefore I laid aside,
with a degree of regret, the relics of Catholic barbarism.
I discarded the Scapular and everything that has no more intelligent
meaning to it than the cungering devices of the heathen has towards
the uplifting of humanity and the civilization of the world.
Many, many years ago my faith was shaken by what I had seen with my
own eyes and heard with my own ears, but I nursed my religious belief
from my mother's bosom; my religion was born and bred in my bones;
every drop of blood in my person was electrified in childhood by the
cungerings of Catholic legerdemain, and I was taught at my mother's
knee to believe that there was no other church that had a ghost of a
chance of eternal salvation but the Catholic Church, and I was taught
that all Protestants were heretics and abominable in the sight of God
and sure of eternal damnation, unless they turned from their sins and
joined the Catholic Church.
Ofttimes I would have my faith shaken by the actions of some lustful
priest, but I clung tenaciously to the religion of my mother and
refused to look beyond the horizon of Catholic superstition.
About the time that I had fully made up my mind to become a priest, I
had my faith shaken in the priesthood to a great extent by a
scandalous happening near the College of Vechta, which concerned and
strictly involved one of the great dignitaries of Catholicism in my
college town, but I fought this feeling of dislike down and forced
myself to believe that what a priest or bishop did was all right in
the sight of God, but at the same time I had a feeling of distrust,
as I could not reconcile myself to believe that God would look with
compassion upon the acts of a dignitary more readily than he would
upon the transgressions of his blind and duped followers, but
nevertheless I went ahead and prepared myself for the priesthood,
which I followed for thirty years.
Right directly opposite the college which I was attending resided the
Very Rev. Harold. This reverend gentleman was a high dignitary in the
Catholic Church.
We young priests had often heard it whispered about that Priest
Harold had in his house at different times a number of concubines,
which are nothing more nor less than lude women. We often saw ladies
around the mansion, dressed in the very height of fashion, and their
actions led us to believe that they were there at the solicitation of
Rev. Harold, as they were seen there at all times of the day and
night, and this certainly made a very strange impression upon us
young students, as there were so many different faces; one day we
would see two or three young girls, and the next day the same number
would be about the mansion, but different faces. All of we young
students endeavored not to believe the rumor, as we were Catholics
in every sense of the word, and we did not want to believe that
anything so degrading would be tolerated in the very mansion of one
of the officials who were teaching us.
The acts of this dignitary became so flagrant that even the students
who were trying not to believe the scandal were forced to believe
there was something wrong about the mansion of this Catholic
dignitary.
About this time there was a young priest by the name of Wulf, from
Rome, who was sent to Vechta and made secretary of this dignitary's
mansion, who, during the day, worked in the office of the mansion,
where court was held in cases of the Catholic Church and schools.
He was soon familiar in and about the mansion and the surrounding
grounds and was given many privileges, and the dignitary seemed to
like him because he did not meddle with his vile conduct, and the
ladies who frequented this place also seemed to admire him. There was
a large lawn surrounding the mansion and at night-time a number of
vicious dogs were unchained to guard it.
The priest that was sent from Rome was soon on familiar terms with
the dogs and they would mind him and became as obedient as children,
and he was soon on such good terms with these dogs that he could
approach the house at any time, day or night, and one word from him
would cause them to sneak off to their kennels and not molest any who
desired to approach the mansion.
The young priests of this college were determined to learn, if
possible, if this Catholic dignitary was guilty of the immoral
conduct that he was accused of, so they went to Wulf and explained to
him that they desired to make a personal investigation, and got this
young priest to promise that he would let them into the grounds one
night and also see that the dogs did not molest them.
We selected a dark night and a few of us young priests slipped into
the lawn surrounding the mansion and placed a ladder up to the second
story window, as there was a bright light inside, and we determined
to learn, if possible, what was going on in this room.
Dr. Wulf, the secretary, was the first to ascend, and there in this
room was the dignitary of the Catholic Church in a half drunken
condition, with two licentious and lude women, playing cards and
drinking wine, and the trio were in a half nude condition, and
frequently this dignitary of the Catholic Church would kiss these
harlots.
After Dr. Wulf came down the ladder and told what he had seen, of
course the rest of us wished to become eye witnesses to the perfidy
of this vagabond of the Catholic Church.
We would take time about going up the ladder to look at this sight,
and sometimes one would remain so long at the top of the ladder the
others would become restless and urge him to come down and give the
rest of us a chance.
It seemed as though this Catholic dignitary and the women up stairs
within had implicit confidence in the dogs, and had no fear of
detection in their drunken orgy of immorality. This dignitary seemed
very drunk, and the ladies began to undress him preparatory to
putting him to bed. When they had him undressed, one of them pulled
off her clothes and went to bed with him.
The next morning the report in the form of affidavits was presented
to the parents of the girls, which caused a very great sensation, and
this bundle of infamy and abomination was forced to leave the city by
the parents of these daughters whom he had desecrated by his filthy
touch.
It was afterwards learned that this state of affairs had existed in
this Catholic mansion for years past, and all that had transpired in
this mansion would blush the inhabitants of Sodom if it could be
told, but it is so filthy that it could not be repeated by any one
who had much respect for himself.
After this dignitary had left the mansion there were a number of
children's skeletons unearthed in the park belonging to the mansion,
and one child's skeleton was found in the waters surrounding the
palace.
No one was ever arrested for this awful, awful crime, as this
Catholic dignitary fled to some monastery and there was concealed
from the law's clutch, as there is no law whereby these monasteries
can be forced open and their criminals brought to justice.
A monastery is a Catholic institution that may be used for divers
purposes, but for one great purpose, and a very heinous purpose, is
to hide and conceal Catholic officials who break the laws of their
country, as they can flee to these monasteries and there hide
themselves from the wrath of the civil government.
It makes no difference how vile the culprits may be, these Catholic
institutions are always a refuge for them, and especially if the
culprit who has money or friends supply them with same, as the
Catholic Church is and always has been a great money machine, as
money, in the eyes of the Catholic dignitaries, covers up a multitude
of sins.
You may not know it, but it is a fact, nevertheless, that the
monasteries never allow the officers of the civil laws to enter, and
suppose the officers did enter, the culprit would never be found, as
Catholic institutions are built with the purpose of sheltering her
abominable faithless in case these criminals' desire to hide
themselves therein, as the convents, monasteries and cloisters have a
labyrinth which would mystify any one who was not used to these
underground passages.
No one ever learned where the dignitary of this Catholic institution
at Vechta went, but we were thoroughly convinced that he was hiding
somewhere in a monastery.
At this point in my religious training I perceived the nonsense of
celibacy, and the Apostle's injunction: "Nevertheless, to avoid
fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman
have her own husband." (I Cor. 7:2.) But the teachings of my
childhood caused me to believe that it would be sacrilegious upon my
part to even allow myself to believe that the Pope of Rome could
possibly make a mistake, therefore I did as all true Catholics are
expected to do, and forced myself to believe that all of the
abominations practiced by this church were godly.
At this time I would conceal myself in privacy, and endeavor to
reason why a minister of the gospel should be expected to do things
which were unnatural and against the direct teachings of God, as we
find in _Gen. 21:18_ that our Creator said: "It is not good that man
should be alone, I will make a helpmate for him," but whenever I
would undertake to study and try to convince myself of the
erroneousness of the Catholic doctrines, her teachings would loom up
and blind my intelligent conception of things, as I had been taught
that I should not question a single mandate that the Pope of Rome
should see fit to promulgate, therefore I made up my mind that it was
a sin for me to use the intelligence that God had given me, and I
resolved to follow the Catholic doctrine, regardless of what it might
lead me to, consequently I closed my eyes to reason and common sense
and became a blind and superstitious follower of Rome.
When I came to America I beheld her great civilization and at once my
conception of intelligent action presented itself again, but I fought
hard to drive these feelings from my bosom, but the more I fought the
stronger I became convinced that I was wrong and that my early
training was wrong, and that the entire machinery and mechanism of
the Catholic Church was founded upon abominations and superstitions,
but the teachings of my mother would prevail and I would slink back
into the trenches of Catholicism, and there I remained until less
than a year ago, when I resolved to burst the bands of iniquity and
walk out upon the plains of Protestantism, regardless of the deep
feelings of respect that I had for my early training.
If God is an intelligent God, then we are expected to worship Him in
an intelligent manner, and if he is not an intelligent God, it is
impossible for Him to be a God, and if the Lord of Hosts is an
intelligent Creator and expects us, as His children, to worship Him
in an intelligent manner, the Catholic Church and all of her
followers are sinning against God every day, as her mode of worship
is steeped in the drugs of heathenish superstitions.
In this volume I propose to set forth nothing but absolute truths,
and I call upon an intelligent God for my witness, and I am qualified
to make oath before any official that is qualified to bind me under
oath that every word that appears in this volume shall be the truth
and nothing but the truth, so help me God.
I will give $5,000.00 to any charitable institution named by any
state of the United States if any Catholic priest, bishop or cardinal
will prove by any of their church doctrines that I have misstated or
misrepresented the teachings of Catholicism in any letter, word or
sentence.
I want to thoroughly impress the reader with the truthfulness of this
volume, so when he or she has perused these pages they may know that
it has been written by one who has served in the capacity of a
Catholic priest for the past thirty years, but who, to-day, stands
out upon the broad plains of spiritual emancipation, and from this
time forward will always be found upon the side of spiritual liberty
and following the doctrines of an intelligent God, and when my
earthly race is run I hope and pray to be ushered into the presence
of an intelligent God.
[Illustration: "THE TWO INSPIRATIONS."
PROTESTANTISM looks to the Holy Bible _for_
Wisdom--CATHOLICISM to the Pope!]