Page 137 - March On! God will Provide by Brother Aubert

It6 THE NEW BISHOP

Reverend Father:
We agreed to meet, when the Bishop would be
here, to prepare the letter in which you would take
on yourself to explain to His Excellency how by
your favorable influence our Congregation has been
built on a solid foundation. That is why I take the
respectful liberty to ask you when and where I can
meet you.
The Bishop has informed me through his secre-
tary that if I wish to talk with him, it is necessary
that first of all he know the situation of our institu-
tion and that then only will he grant me an in-
terview.
Write rne at once.
There is nothing in the Ryken correspondence to in-
dicate what Father Van de Kerckhove did in response
to his friend's appeal, but it is safe to assume that he
responded promptly and helped to set Brother Ryken's
mind at ease.
On June eleventh, the Brother Superior submitted a
provisional report on the state of his financial dealings
with the Dujardin Bank, promising that a complete
statement on his other debts, on his revenues, and on
the general state of his affairs would be prepared as soon
as possible.
Once he had delivered the provisional report at the
Bishop's residence, it was natural {or Mr. Ryken to
grow more and more nervous as he pictured His Ex-
cellency mulling over the details. The indebtedness to
the Bank amounted to 42,080 francs of which 8,080 was
interest due. In seven years the annual interest had been
met only once.
The only hope that Mr. Ryken could think of was the