Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-01-02
Mtsfelloneous
From Brazil aud the Brasilisus.
FRIAR JOAN


This remarkable person, whose name appears
originally to have been John Martin, was 40 En-.
glishmau, born iULondUn during tho reign ut Liiz.
nbeth. In the tenth year ut ms age he was KID
mapped by u Portuguese merchant, apparently tur
the purpose OF preserving him in The Catholic
faithj aud this merchant, seven yeaJs afterwards,
took him to Brazil, where, being placed under the
care Of the Jesuits, be entered the company. An.
chieta WAS his 50 periJr, then an old man, broken
down with exertiOa and austerities, and subject to
frequent Paintings. Almelda used to rub his ieet
at such times, in reference 70 which he was acCus,
toned u say that. Whatever virtue there might be
in his hands, he had taken IL from The feet Of his
master. No vOluptunry ever invented 80 many de
vices for pam periug the senses as joan d Almeiaa
did Tor mOrtilying them. lie looked upoH his body
as a reGeliuuS Slaye. who, dwelling within doors,
to- eating at his table, and sleeping In his bed, was
continually laying suares for his destructlJn; there
fore, he regarded it with the deepest hatred, and,
az a matter of Justice aud selt-deience, prosecuted,
hOgged, and punished 1t in every imaginable Nay.
For this purpose he had a choice assortment of
scourges-snmc Of w%hipcurd, some Of ca'Sut, some
OF leathern thongs. and some Vt wire. lie had
ciiices of wire for his arms, thighs, and legs. one
of which was fastened around the body with sc"en
chains and another he called has good sack. which
was an under waIsicOat of the toughest horaehitlr,
having On The inside seven crosses made u iron.
the surface vf which was covered with shaip points.
like u coarse rasp ora nutmeg crater, such was
the whole HrnIUr Of righteousness IN viii b thus
soldier of Christ clad himself for his battles with
the internal enemy. 1t Is recorded, Among his
other virtues, that he never disturbed the musqui.
toes and feas when they covered him that what.
ever exercise he might take in that hot climate,
he never changed his shirt more than once a week;
and that, ON his journeys. he put pebbles or grains
of maize in bis shoes. His daily course OF lite wuS
regulated in conformity to II paper drawn up 10y
himself, wherein he promised go eat nuthing On
Mon lays, in honor Of the Trinity to wear one OF
his c,llces, according to tue disposition and
strength of the poor beast, as he called bis body,
and to accompany it with the customary fly flap.
ping Of his tour scourgcs. in love, reverence, and
remembrance Of the stripes winch our Saviour had
suffered for his sake. Tuesdays, his food was to
be bread and water, With the same dessert, to the
praise and glory OF the archangei Michael his
guardian angel, and all other angels. Wednes'
days, he relaxed 81 far as only to follow the rule
Of the company. On Thursda Y, in honor of the
Holy Ghost, the most holy sacrament, 81. lguatlus
Loyulu. the apostles, and all saints, male and te-
male, he ate nothing, Fridays, he was to bear III
MIND that the rules of hls order
fasting, and thai he had frr,vorn wine except IN
cases OF necessity. Saturdays. he abstIlued again
from all food. in honor OF the Virgin, and this
abstinence was to he accompanied with whatever
might be acceptabls to her; Whereby exercises oi
rigOr AS well as prayer wee implied. U" sun
DAYS, AS on Wednesdays, he observed the rules ul
ths c IN nunity g." Tue great object Of his most
thankful meiitati0ns was to think that, having
been born in England, and III london, in the yer!
seat and heart OF heresy, lac had been led 10 this
happy way vi life. In this extraordinary course
OF SELF torment, Frar JOAN d'Almeidu attained
the great age Of lourscore aud two. When he
was lar advanced in years, his cliices and scOurges
were taken from him lest they should accelerate
his death; but from that time he was observed to
lose strength, rs IT his constitution was injured by
the change: such practices were become neces
sary to hun, like Il perpetual blister, withou
WINCH the bodily system, having been long accls
toned TO it., could not continue It's functions. Ill
used 10 eutreat others, for the'love Of God, to lent
him a whip or a cIiice, exelaiipiug, What mean
have | now whsrewith 10 appease the Lord
What shall | do 10 he saved ~ Such are tn,
works which u corrupt church has substituted TO
faith in Christ and for the duties OF geuuin
Christianity. Nor must tbs be considered as
mere case Of individual madness. While Almeidi
lived, he was an object OF reverence and admira
ton, not only to The comno people OF Rio d.
Janciro, but to persons Of all ranks. His excess
es were in the spirit of his religion, and they
were recorded after his death for edifcatiOn ant
example, under the sanction OF the superiors OF III
order which ut that Time held the hrst rank in III
estimation Of the Roman Catholic world. Dunn
his last illness the convent WAS crowded with per
sons who were DESTROYS to behold the Ceath OF
saint. Nothing else was talked OF III the cIty
and the Fluminenses accOsteS each other Wit
condolences as for some public calamity. Solicit
atoms were made thus early tUr scraps Ut hi
writing, rags Of his garments or cilices, aud, it
deed, anything which bad belonged to him Gul
the porter was fully employed in receiving an
delivering beads, cloths, aud other things whic
dovuut persons sent, tina. they might he apple
to the body of the lying saint, aud Imhi5e from
a healing virtue. lie was lied during his illness
and every drop Of the blood was carefully recei'
ed upon cloths, which wore divided as relics anon
those who had most interest in the college. Vine
the bell of tie college announced his death, I'll
whole city WAS NJ greatly agitated as if the aiarI
oil an invasion had been given. The governor, th
bishop administrator, the magistrates, mobiles, Gle
gy, and religious bodies OF every order, and I'll
whole people. hastened to his funeral. Ever
shop was shut. Even the ~cripples and the sic
were carried to the ceremony. Another persu
died at the same time, and it was with great diff
Guilty that men could be found to bear the bod
TO the grave. An official statement Of the pr
ceedings Of the day was drawn up. TO be II perpetu
memorial AM the admiration of the people +
Friar Juan d'Alneida was So great, especially
Rio de Jaueiro. that they used his relics in dlsea
es with as much faith as if he had been canoniz,
Rnd with as mu IN success. For a while they
voked no other saint, as il they had furgutt
their former oljects,o of devotion