A certain man bought some expensive property in another town. His payment was mostly in coin, and he carefully placed this money in sealed bags. Then he set out with the money. In due time, he reached the town where he would buy his new property.

On his way, he saw a great crowd of people entering a church. When he asked why there was such a crowd, he learned that a famous missionary had come to that church. This missionary was about to preach, and all these people had come to hear him.

The man did not want to miss an opportunity of hearing a good preacher. He immediately took his money and went to the house of a friend who lived in that neighborhood. He asked this friend to keep the money safe for him, as he was going to hear a sermon and would return for the money as soon as the sermon was over.

His friend readily agreed. He carefully placed the money bags in a drawer. Pointing to the drawer, the friend said:

“You will find them there when your return.”

About an hour later, when the sermon was finished, the man returned to his friend’s house. The sermon had made an impression on him, and he told his friend some of the main points in the sermon that had particularly interested him. He also told his friend how learned and eloquent the preacher was.

Having said all this, the man remembered the money he had left there, and he asked his friend:

“Will you be so good now as to give me the money, so I can leave?”

“What money are you talking about?” asked the other, surprised.

“The money I left in your care while I went to the sermon: the coins you placed in that drawer.”

“Oh, if they were placed there, no doubt they will still be there. Go and take them.”

But when the drawer was opened, there was nothing to be found. The owner at first thought that his friend did this as a funny prank. But when the owner tried to get serious, his friend still denied that he had ever seen the money, or even heard of it! The poor owner now saw that he had been robbed.

The other man, however, was not happy at being suspected a thief. He angrily said to the owner of the money:

“Go out of my house immediately! Do you take me for a thief? You never brought that money into my house. You speak of those bags. Go and look for your money somewhere else. And do not come here to accuse an innocent person of thievery.”

The owner of the money left the house in dismay. He went to another acquaintance, who had gone to the same sermon. This person was a friend of the preacher. In fact, the preacher himself providentially entered while the owner was talking to this acquaintance.

When the priest came, the owner turned to him, and said:

“Your sermon, reverend Father, was a most excellent one, but it has cost me dearly; it cost me several bags of money.” Then he told the priest what had just happened.

“Wait here for a few moments,” said the priest. “I will soon return.”

The missionary priest went immediately to the house of the friend, and said:

“Sir, I have come to ask you to give me immediately the money which a certain gentleman trusted to your care while he went to hear a sermon about three hours ago - the money which you declared that you never received. You thought that there was no witness to your cowardly action. But there was, and He saw everything you did.”

At the word “witness” the man became pale.

“Restore your ill-gotten treasure,” continued the missionary with greater energy, “otherwise your honor and good name is forever lost, for the witness I will bring forward will not spare you.”

He then took a Crucifix out from under his mantle. Holding it before the eyes of the thief, the priest added: “It is Jesus Christ Himself Who is the witness; it is He Who saw you. Unless you instantly restore the money, you will not only lose your reputation before men, but you will lose your immortal soul in eternity.”

The man could no longer deny that he had stolen the money. He brought it out of a room where he had hidden it. Then he gave those money bags —untouched, with all their coins— to the priest, who immediately restored the money to its rightful owner.