Chapter I: Preface

After many entreaties and a sincere vow, it is now "mine to tell the story" of "THE DEMANDS OF ROME" as I have lived them during my long life and faithful service in the Roman Catholic Church and sisterhood. I would sound this story in the ear of everyone who has the interest of the oppressed at heart--in the ear of everyone who has the interest of disseminating knowledge, the light and power of which would be a great help to the freeing of the captive from religious bondage. For as I view it now, religious bondage is the most direful of all.

In a few words, "THE DEMANDS OF ROME" from the individual are from the "cradle to the grave," and they do not stop there, he is followed through "purgatory" and into eternity. In the commercial world, you must listen to "THE DEMANDS OF ROME" or the Roman Catholic trade goes elsewhere, and the anathema of the church is invoked upon you.

The church of Rome _demands_ property, and when they have it, _demand_ that they be not taxed for that privilege; they _demand_ wealth, never being satisfied, but forever _demanding_; they _demand_ the suppression of liberty; they _demand_ life; they _demand_ death.

Now, as a sister in the church of Rome, it is _demand_ from the very day she enters the convent, as I have explained throughout this book. The first _demand_ is the hair of the victim. The Word of God says, "If a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her," but what does the church of Rome care what the Bible says? It is the _demand_ from the church, and blind obedience of the subject to that _demand_ that Rome cares about. It is their endless _demands_ for supremacy of heaven, earth and hell.

We have all heard of the dumb animal which would run back to his stall in case of fire; nevertheless, we must take an interest in the faithful old horse and use every effort to save his life from the horrible death that he would rush to.

How much more must we take an interest in the lives of the poor, oppressed humans, the over-burdened, entrapped nuns behind the convent walls, though she may imagine that she is enjoying the greatest freedom and the happiest life. Yes, we must all look well to the doors that stand between Liberty and bondage, even though those doors seem bright with "religious" paint.

Let me say with the poet, that I cannot hope to "live but a few more days, or years, at most," and my one aim is to give to the world a book that will stand the crucial time of the changing years--a book that shall be known and read long after the author is forgotten. I write it with a fond hope that it may be helpful to "those who have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge," those who may be floundering in the meshes of a crooked and perversed theology. I want no other monument.

ELIZABETH SCHOFFEN.

February, 1917.

CONTENTS.

Chapter. Page

I. Introductory 11

II. My Early Life and Schooling 17

III. My Novitiate Life 23

IV. A Virgin Spouse of Christ--My First Mission 37

V. My Begging Expedition--St. Vincent's Hospital--Routine
of a Sister 47

VI. How I Educated Myself--I Become Superintendent
of the Third Floor at St. Vincent's 61

VII. Sacrament of Penance--Mass and Communion--Extreme
Unction--Indulgences--Annual
Retreat 72

VIII. My Trip to the General Mother House 85

IX. I Receive My Diploma for Nursing from St.
Vincent's Hospital--Trouble Among the
Sisters 103

X. My Removal from St. Vincent's Hospital 122

XI. Two Interesting Letters from Sisters--My
Letters for Redress to Archbishop Christie 130

XII. My Emancipation 144

XIII. I Quit the Roman Catholic Church 155

XIV. Form for Dispensation of the "Holy" Vows--My
Suit and Settlement With the Sisters
of Charity 165

XV. My Recommendation from the Doctors of
Portland--The Good Samaritan--I Affiliate
With a Protestant Church--My New
Work 181

XVI. My "Advertisement" in the Catholic Sentinel 191

XVII. The Care of Old Sisters by the Roman Catholic
System 199

XVIII. Conclusion 205

Appendix 217

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page

Elizabeth Schoffen attired in the garb of a Sister 2

Elizabeth Schoffen--Lecturer and Author 3

Elizabeth Schoffen one month before she entered the
Convent 25

"Father" Louis de G. Schram 33

Sister Ethelbert 49

Caught in the Act of Kissing the Floor 55

St. Vincent's Hospital, Portland, Oregon 65

Mother House, Montreal, Canada 89

Fac-simile of My Diploma 107

Archbishop Alexander Christie of Portland, Oregon 139

Fac-simile of the Check I received from the Sisters of
Charity 180

A Gift from God 195

THE DEMANDS OF ROME