The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-11-28

1914.
Bede mention, that when st. Gregory built this ia
| nous church near the sea, he commanded rock,
which obstructed the work, to yield place, which
| II did. The river Lycus, now called Casalmach,
which passed by the walls OF Neoc9sares, falling
from the mountains OF Armenia, sometimes by It's
| impetuous floods swept away inhabitants, cattle,
houses and crops. St Gregory, moved with com
passion, liked his staff near the bank, and prayed
/ that the waters might not exceed those bounds,
| and they obeyed his voice; and no such floods
i happened again to the time when st Gregory OF
| Nyssa wrote the staff also took root and became
| a large tree.
| The miracles ard wisdom of the saint brought
him into such reputation, that even IN civil causes,
wherever the VAS knotty and difficult, 1t
| usually referred to his decision. Two brothers
| happened to be at law about a lake, both chal-
longing 1t to belong 10 their part OF the lnheritarce
| nor was the saint able by words TO accommodate
| the difference between ihem but each resolved
to maintain his right by force OF arms, and a day
was set when they were to bring into the field all
the force they could raise with their tenants. To
paevent unjust bloodshed, st. Gregory continued
all the night before the Intended engagement in
prayer upon the spot, and the next day the lake
was turned into solid land, whereby the contention
was removed; the remains OF the lake were shown
long after.
st. Simeon stylites. q.
st. Simeon was, in his life and conduct, sub
ject of astonlshmcnt, not only 10 the whole Roman
empire, but also TO many barbarous and infide ma
tons. The Persians, Modes, Saracens, Ethopians,
Iberians, and Scythians, had the highest veneralion
for him. The kings OF Persia thought his benedic-
ton great happiness The Roman emperors soil
cited his prayers, and consulted him on matters OF
the greatest Importance. II must, nevertheless, be
acknowledged, that his most remarkable actions,
how instrumental soever they might be 10 this uni
versal veneration and regard for hun, are subject
OF admiration, not OF imitation. They may serve,
notwithstanding, to our spiritual edifcaton and
Improvement III virtue; as we cannot well reflect
on his fervor, without condemning and being con-
founded at our own Incidence in the service of
God.
st. Simeon was son to poor shepherd in Gill
cia, the borders of Syria, and at first kept his
fathers sheep. Being only thirteen years OF age,
he was much moved by bearing the beatitudesread
ono day in church, particularly these g Blessed
| are they that mourn; blessed are the clean OF
heart" The youth addressed himself to certain
old man, to learn the meaning OF those words; and
| beggedIo know how the happiness they promised,
was to be obtained. He teld hun that continual
prayer, watching, fasting, weeping, humiliation,
and patient suffering OF pei secutions, pointed
out by those texts as the road TO true happiness;
and that solitary life afforded the best opporluni-
ties for enforcing the Practice Of these good works,
and establishing man IN solid virtue Simeon,
uponthis, withdrew to small distance where, falling
PROSTATE upon the ground, he besought Him, who
| desires all may be saved, to conduct him in the
paths which lead to happiness and perfection; to
grace, he unreservedly from that moment devoted
himself At length, falling into sumber, he was
| favored with vision, which II was usual with him
afterwards to relate. He seemed TO himself to be
| digging pit for the foundation Of a house, and
| that, often as he stopped for taking little
breath, which was four times, he was commanded
each time TO dig deeper, TIL at length he was told
he might desist, the pit being deep enough to re-
ceive the intended foundation, on which he would
be able to raise superstructure OF what kind, and
| to what height he pleased. "The event." says
Theodoret verified the predictions; the actions OF
| this wonderful man were so superior to nature,
that they might well require the deepest founda.
ton OF humility and fervor whereon to raise and
establish them"
terry in that neighborhood, under the direction of
an holy abbot, called Timothy, and lay PROSTATE
at the gate for several days, without either eating
| or drinking begging to be admitted on the foot
| ing of the lowest servant in the house, and as
general drudge. His petition was granted, and he
complied with the terms OF 1t with great fervour
| and affection for four months. During this time
he learnt the Psater by heart, the first task enon-
ed the novces; and his familiarity with the sacred
oraclcs it contains. greatly helped nourish his
| soul in spiritual life. Though yet in his tender
and, by his humility and charity, gained the good
l will OF all the monks. Having here spent two
years. he removed to the monastery OF Heliodorus,
| a person endowed with an admirable spirit Of
prayer; and who, being then sixty-five years, of
age, had spent sixty-tw0 OF them in that commune
ty so distracted from the world, as to be utterly
ignorant of the most obvious things IN II, Theo-
doret relates, who was intimately acquainted with
him. Here Simeon much increased his mortifica-
tons; for whereas those monks ate but once day,
which was towards night. he, tor his part, made
but one meal a week, which was on Sundays
These rigours, however. he moderated, at the IN
terpositiOn of his superi0r's authority, and from
i that time was more private in his notifications.
With this view, judging the rough rope OF the well,
made Of twisted palm tree leaves proper Instrl-
ment OF penancr, he tied it close about his
| naked body, where 1t renamed unknown
| both to the community and his superior, TIL such
time as it having eat into his flesh, what he had
1 plu vyped discovered
| ceeding from the wound. Three days successive
ly his clothes, which chung TO It, were to be soften
ed with Liquids, 10 disengage them; and the ncl-
SONS of the physician, TO cut the cord out OF his
1 body, were attended with such anguish and pain,
| that he lay for some time as dead. On his reco-
very, the abbot, to prevent the I'll consequences
| such dangerous singuarty might occasion, to
| the prejudice Of uniformity in monastlc discipline,
i dismissed him.
| After this, he repaired TO an hermitage, at the
| foot Of mount Telnescln, or Ihcanlssa, where he
DAYS of Lent in total abstinence, after the
pie of Christ, without either eating or drink ing.
Bassus, a holy priest, and abbot OF two hundred
monks, who was his director, aud to whom he had
communicated hs design, had left with him ten
oaves and water, that he might eat If he found IL
necessary. At the expiration OF the forty days he
came 10 visit him, and found the loaves and water
untouched, but Simeon stretched out on the ground,
almost without any signs of life Taking sponge
he moistened his lips with water, then gave him the
blessed Eucharist. Simeon, having recovered
| little, rose up, and chewed and swallowed by de-
| grees few lettuce leaves, and other herbs This
was his method of keeping Lent during the re-
mander OF his life; and he had actually passed TWEEN.
| iy-six. Lents after this manner, when Theodorei
/ wrote his account OF him in which are these
other particulars that he spent the first part OF the
| Lent in praising God standing growing weaker,
he continued his prayer sitting and towards the
end, finding his spirits almost quite exhausted, not
able to support himself in any other posture, he
| lay on the ground. However, 1t is probable, that
| in his advanced years he admitted some mitigation
| kept himself during this fast, tied 10 pole; but
| at length was able 10 fast the whole term, without
any support. Many attribute this TO the strength OF
| his constitution, which was naturally very robust,
| and had been gradually habltualed TO such an ex-
traordinary abstinence. IL is well known that the
| hot eastern climates afford surprising instances Of
i Innn aheiina nne annnp The IndInns a native OF