Letter written by Fr. Byles to his brother Winter

My Dear Winter:

I am staying on in Germany after taking departure of the others in the hopes of getting a tutorship here for a few months. I thnk it is w. doubtful if I shall succeed; if not I shall go home probably in a week or two.

I have been staying here at a Benedictine Convent for the last week & have had a very pleasent time. I think this is the finest country I have seen. The Danube here flows through a valley and precipitous cliffs on each side, clothed halfway up in beech & fir, & the other half is perpendicular limestone rock.

Just at Beuron the valley widens & forms an amphitheater round the Abbey. This Abbey has only been founded 30 years, but it has acquired a great reputation, especially for Art, & it has already several branches in different lands; one in England.

You probably know that Willie began his Jesuit Novitiate last Saturday (Sept. 8). He started from home a fortnight ago, reaching London on the 2nd so as to have a few days there beforehand. His address for the next 2 yrs. will be Monroe House, Roehampton, London, S.W. The other left for home the following Sat. (Sept 1) & got to Stoke last Friday. They had a bad crossing & had to sleep in the Hall.

I hope to enter some Religious Order early in next year, but I want to wait a little, partly because I have not yet found out which Order I am best fitted for, & partly because my doctor tells me that by next February, if I have not recurrence, I may consider myself quite cured of my fits, & till that is safe it would probably be difficult to find any Order willing to accept me.

Hilda received your letter on the day they started for England, but unfortunately I had not time to learn what news it contained; I hope however to receive from home either the letter itself or the substance of the contents.

I wish I could impart to you something of the bliss of knowing with certainty what God has revealed for our support & help. It is a happiness which grows more & more every day & which affords a truly marvelous & altogther supernatural support in all temptation, & against all evil. It is however beyond my power to impart this -- the most I can do is to pray God to give to all I love this wonderfully great Gift which I have received: and I trust you also pray continually that God will show you more of His Truth.

It is the duty of everyone who does not possess a complete Revelation. And above all, avoid shallow judgments of Catholicism. Be scrupulously honest. Prereis (e.g.) no sufficent ground for saying (as to often said) that Catholicism was a good Religion for the Middle Ages, but a bad one now. Some circumstances have changed, but human nature has not changed to that extent.

I remain ever,

Your Loving Brother,
Thomas Roussel