Father John Coigley was standing with his hands bound on a scaffold in Kent about to be executed for treason in connection with the 1798 Irish rebellion when, with his wrists still tied, he pulled a knife from his pocket. The crowd gasped for two reasons. First, it was surprising that Coigley had smuggled a knife past his jailers. Second, the crowd had some reason to worry that Coigley would pull a Wolfe Tone and spite his captors by slashing his own throat, as other Catholic rebels had done.
With perfect sangfroid, Father Coigley produced from his other pocket . . . an orange . He peeled it, ate it, and was hanged.
You have a decision to make: double or nothing.
For this week only, a generous supporter has offered to fully match all new and increased donations to First Things up to $60,000.
In other words, your gift of $50 unlocks $100 for First Things, your gift of $100 unlocks $200, and so on, up to a total of $120,000. But if you don’t give, nothing.
So what will it be, dear reader: double, or nothing?
Make your year-end gift go twice as far for First Things by giving now.
