The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-02

Father uyncIn,he NJ Notre Dame.

Ohlo SlOquenJ monk was IuInlSncu III u leIleT 10
the EUdngelist two years ago, by correspondent
then in Pars:-
But now the tall Swiss halberdier, making a
passage along the aisle, announces the approach
of Pere Hyacinthe, and instantly this whole sea
OF faces is turned towards him, with an express
sion of sympathy so intense, as seemed enough
to electrify one who came in all simplicity and
sincerity to bring to them the words of life. He
followed slowly, with his eyes cast down, his
face pale, and, mounting the steps of the pulpit
he knelt down, and buried his 1faee in silent
. prayer. Then rising, he Stood with erect and
majestic form, and for some moments regarded
in silence those to whom he was to speak; while
IA deep sigh involuntarily escaped from his large
( chest.
Although ! was already under the magnetism
of this extraordinary man. my eye as an artist
took in all the surroundings of the scene. In
scenic effect nothing could exceed the beauty of
the tableau-the dark backgroundof the pulpit,
in ancient carved oak; the form of the preacher,
rendered more striking by the robe of his order
Che is a Carmelite monk, and wears long gown,
with Only sandals on his feet), with his white
rfess-Thrown back upon his shoulders, his head
shaven so rs to leave only chaplet of hair upon
his brow, while the light from above fell upon
his bare head and his countenance, so sad ana
beautiful, yet responding with quick sympathy
to all the regards turned towards him. Surely,
if he had studied all this mise en- scene, he is
master in the art.
He began TO speak, and from that moment
wished to believe in the sincerity in the piety,
not all that he profanes the most beautiful gifts
of Providence Never did voice more sympa-
thetic strike my ear; pever did art more perfect
captiyate and control the human heart.
He announced his text, first in Latin and then
in French 1t was in Eccesiastes-a warning to
diligence and activity, which he applied to sti-
muate men in the work OF salvation, repeating
with emphasis, "Agonze for your faith; combat
for your soul!" He described the agony of
Christ, that he might hold Him up as an eX-
annie As it is the season of Lent all thoughts
are supposed to converge towards that central
theme and all motives to radiate from the Great
Sufferer. He depicted the sorrows OF the Sa
yiour of the world the drops OF blood falling
to the ground and the last scene on the cross.
During this description all was hushed and STILL
The vast cathedral seemed to wear deeper
gloom as if in sympathy with the darkness
which was described, and when he repeated our
Sayiour's words, ''My Cod my God, why hast
thou forsaken me !" it seemed as if every heart
shuddered at the cry.
AS Christ suffered and agonized for mans sal
Yation, SO should man himself struggle and
suffer unto death that he may be sayed-there
was his theme. But how do men carry on this
spiritual war? Here the preacher turned from
the Divine Sufferer to the world which He came
to redeem-a world full of sorrow and sin. In
stantly we were in the midst OF the nineteenth
century-with examples OF guilt which all could
recognize. He drew his pictures from actual
life, portraying the tempter and the tempted;
and in his charges of selfshness and crime, he
seemed as if he would arraign all men at the bar
of Divine justice. He did not spare any class
or profession-not even his oWn-but drew q
fearful picture of the unworthy priest.
SIT is not by hypocrisy" he said, "that the
bad priest dishonors his ministry. Hypocrisy is
q thing vulgar and base, soon unmasked, which
cannot long deceive any one But it is by that
cold. cruel Pharisasm which puts the letter in
place of the spirit, the dogma in place of charity,
in a religion which is all love. 1t is not with
hands hard and cold that the priest must touch
the wounds and sores Of humanity but as a mo-
ther in her love for her children covers the
plague spots which mark the outbrealing of
revolving disease. 1t is with burning lips that
he is to suck the poison from the very blood of
the death-smitten; it is with tears of charity and
of tenderness that he is to wash and to purify
the sinful SOUL" AS he said this, there was in
his voice. and in the whole expression of his sad
and beautiful countenance something of the
tenderness of a father-he seemed to yearn to-
wards those who listened to him with an ire
sistible attraction. and with one of his eectrify
ing gestures he threw open his arms as if he
would take upon his own heart the grlefs anC
the remorse of every troubled spirit.
l give you but faint outline of his sermon
though it seemed that every word was engravel
on my memory. But merely to repeat his argu
ments and illustrations could give you no i'm
preston of his power, for it lay in the man, il
his eye, his gesture, and his voice. In true elo
quence there is something which escapes analy
sis-a power beyond words-a magnetism "a
brd1lte ct subtle which penetrates like lightning
which cannot be described, but which is onl,
felt as the intensest action of the human soul
To make you understand its effect, | must pain
for you that countenance so mobile, now gray
and stern, and now wearing look of inetfabl
tenderness. His gestures were full of energ
and animation. There was intense life in ever
limb and every motion. Now he appeared as
he were the accuser of his hearers, flashing tn
light of conscience on every deed of guilt. A
such moment you might believe that you hear
another Savonarola laundering against the vice
of the age. Then suddenly his tone changes
and his manner became tender and almos
caressing, as If he would draw the multitude t
the feet of Him whose agony he described.
In rebuling the spirit OF this world, whicl
has such empire over men, priest has an in
mense power from his own example of self
abnegation. The Protestant pastor comes to tn
pulpit from his comfortable home, from tn
sweet companionship of his wife and children
But the priest has no domestic ties He has n
home and no one to love him more than Others
If a monk, he has taken VOW of poverty an
lives in cell. His life is one of daily sell
denial-at least such is the theory of his order
and he speaks to the popular heart and cor
science, exalted in public esteem by this impre
sion of extraordinary sanctity. l need not sa
that many priests are far enough from realizin
this ideal of their professionalism they are yer
coarse and common men, alike wanting in inte
lect and in moral elevation. But others ther
are of n different stamp, who at least try to lv
up to q sanity ideal, with whom life is q dali
self-cruciflXion-men full of all the sweet i'm
pulses of nature, yearning for human society
who are yet doomed to live in solitude; craVin
love which they can never know. In the goo
priest this contradiction between his tastes an
his actual existence gives a sadness to all hi
lie. But what power does it give him whe
he speaks out of his lonely and desolate heal
to others in sorrow, using the very words of til
Christus Consolator
SUMMARY OF CHURCH NEWS.