The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-09-24
CHAPTER H.
MONK AND ABBOT.


As priest, the monks of st. Rufus found a vet
greater treasure in Nicholas Brcakspcare, than as
a lay seryitor. lie was indetatiga6le i'm his new
duties; was ready for tue confessional upon all
occasions; and il a sick, possibly dying person
sent in the dead of night TO the monastery for
spiritual aid, he undertook the duty with cheer
fullest alaCrity. \ most attractive preacher
moreover; and the good people of Avignon came
in crowds to the church OF the monastery 70 hear
the feryid discourses of the gifted young priest
with great benefit, need hardly say, TO the trea-
sury of st. Rufus And his piety was not in the
slightest degree pharisaical; ascatic himself eat
ing and drinking in strict accordance with the
prescribed rules, it almost seemed doubtful, so
friendly, cordial was he at such times, that he
could be aware there were tlagons OF wine and
rich meats upon the table whilst he was dining
OIL black bread, skim cheese, and cold water. At
all events he was a man of unbOunded charity as
regarded the failings Of others; largely, bounti-
fully cOnsderate for his weaker brethren. The
brotherhood Of st. Rufus were blessed, even
blessed in their new acquisition.
Abbot William, who had been aing for q long
time, died, full OF years, II not precisely in the
orthodox odOr of sanctity. Nothing more, how
ever, / believe, could he fairly laid to the yene-
rabe mans charge than that he liked good
dinner, and felt a constitutional preference for
the season of Easter over that Of Lent. He was
buried with his brethren, and the question there
upon to be decided was, who should reign in his
stead
There could scarcely be two opinions about
that; brother Nicholas, of course. lie as Abbot
would confer luSre on the monastery, continue,
no doubt, TO do almost all the spiritual work, and
look with mildly indulgent eyc-it he looked
at all-upon the tTifling divaricdtOns of the ira
terny from the strict rules OF the order. The
whilOm swineherd was consequently elected
Abbot Of st. Rufus by a unanimous vote.
The new dignitary bore his hOnOrs meekly, Till
the document ratifying his election arrived irom
Rome. Then thunder fell upon the astounded,
bewidcred monks. The Oldest OF the fraternity
was summoned to the presence OF the new Abbot,
sternly, told that he-the Abbot-had been for
years q Mortified witness of the laNty OF discip-
line which1 prevailed in the monasteryj the
shameful sWilling and gOTmdndlzing OF the
monks, who were bound by their vows TO set the
world an example Of temperance carried to aus
terity. He had not before reprOyed those prdc-
tices simply for the reason that he had no power
to enforce a reform. low that he had, the rules of
the order would be rigidly enforced, not only in
the matter of the dietary, but the punctual at
tendance of the monks at all the sacred services,
etc. This announcement, one can easily believe,
produced a fearful CONSERVATION amongst the
shamefully betrayed brotherhood.
lhe King Log they supposed themselves TO
have elected turned out 10 be King Stork, with a
vengeance. How had they been deceived Con-
suting the almost forgotten dietary code OF the
founder, which enacted that water should be the
sole beverage meat in homeopathic quantity TO
be paTtaken of only on Sundays and holidays OF
obligation upon all other days their food 10 DC
coarse bread, pulse, and other vegetables-the
unfortunate monks were excited to frenzy, and
went in a body TO demonstrate with the elect OF
their choice. They took nothing by that motion
stenly ordered to go instantly to their cells,
and in penanCe for their contumacy every one
was TO Tecte seven times the seven penitential
! psalms. They did stink back TO their cells, but
with respect to the seven penitential psalm have
my doubts. imagine 1t must have been any
| thing but psalms the enraged monks poured forth
/ upon that doletul day.
| The revolution was, they soon found, grim
| reality-the Abbots coup de mditre trenchant,
unsparing, irresistible. The stock of rich wines
/ in the celars-piOus offerings of the faithful for
/ the soace of the sacred fraternity-was sent of
! in chdYTstteS 70 AygnOn 70 be sold, the proceeds
/ TO swell the alms-fund for distribution amongst
the poor. The suGerngs Of the unfortunate
| monks were not limited to the dreadful dietary
They were ineXorably routed out Of their cells at
| three in the morning for primes, which, with
| mathis, masses, in ceaseess succession, aud fire.
quent benediCtions, kept them constantly to col
| lar till ten at night, when after Tegaling them
| selves with piece Of black bread aud cup Of
water they were dismissed 10 their allotted i've
| hours reIOse.
Flesh and blood-even such meagre and atten-
uated flesh and blood as remained 10 them after
q few months Of "salutary discipline '-reyelted
against such usage. They were last becoming
ghostly fathers in a most hateful sense. What
was IL to them that n high church dlgnitaly, no
other than the Bishop Of Provence, could boast
in one Of his pastorals that the odor OF sanctly
emanatng from the monastery OF 81. bulus was
purifying the moral atmosphere for leagues
around its sacred walls that the church OF the
monastery was always crowded, the COMES
sionals constantly fulli An that only increased
the burden laid upon their CALLED shoulders
Finally, one of them, who was related to the
Countess Beauiolais, interested tnat noble dame
in the distressing case, and through her
cardinal presented a petition from the brother
hood-a sort Of round-robln-to Pope Eugenius
III, complaining of the abuse of power on the
part Of Abbot Nicholas. The Abbot and a depu
tation Of the complainants were in consequence
summoned TO Rome that the matter might bC
fully investigated. The Abbot came triumph
untly out Of the ordeal, Pope Eugenius sernly
telling the discounted monks, at its close, thai
their Abbot was far too good for tuem. Poor tel
lows they had been long painfully aware Of that
he was Much too good for them: they wanted q
considerably less heavenly, holy Abbot Ia sin
ner, if such favor could have been granted, like
| themselves. However, that was past praying for
and by way OF impressing upon them the iniquity
Of falsely accusing their spiritual superior, TIN
deputation were ordered 10 journey back TO ST
Rufus on foot which they did, under the vigilan
care Of their Abbot-he mounted upon apalfrey-
and faring, If not sumptuously plentfully every
day, they vigorously restricted to the deteTiorate
dietary Of the st, Rufus rotherhood-mserabl
monks After this the severity of the Abbot
rulp increased rather than diminished till n [