The New York herald., 1873-08-16
The Worship Of Peasants and Patricians
Under st. Vineent's Oak.
TRUE PIETY OF THE PILGRIMS.
Singular Scenes Of Simple Faith-Small
Chance for Sneers Of Philos-
Ophers or Wilings.
THE oPEN-AR aANGELUs." +"

TOURS, July 20, 1873.
The most ancient and celebrated ofall the French
pigrimages Is that to the shrine OF st. Martin.
During moro than fourteen centuries plous Catho.
lies have nocked there. Peasants and princes,
kings bishops and sovereign pontifrs have there
sought consolation or supplicated for miracles
The Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem, the tombs fSt.
Peter and St Paul at Rome, that OF st. James, OF
Compostelo, and the tomb OF st. Martin at Tours,
formed the four great meeting places OF the Christ
Ian world. But the tomb OF ST. Martin had pecu-
Liar claims upon the devotion OF the Gallo race.
Monk and prslate were forever relating. In that
clear and precise language which knows no dul-
ness or confusion Of meaning, how the soil which
st. Martin had trodden, and which he had sanctifed
by so manyprsdigies during his long apostoate
was especially blessed Of Heaven. They had good
Scripture warrant for the belief that particular
places may be thus consecrated, in tfc text which
says, "Taks thy shoes from or thy feet for the
place where thou standest Is holy ground" The
sanctity, therefore, OF all places in which miracles
have been performed has always been one OF the
prime articles OF the Roman Catholic creed and 1t
Is not easy to understand why the Protestant
Church has yenounced It, or, indeed, whether 1t
has renounced n.
ST. Martin was the great apostle OF the Gauls.
Generation after generation their warriors and
statesmen prayed upon the stones OF the solitary
Crotto which had SO often witnessed the vigis OF
the saint, ard wore out with their knees :he bare
earth upon which he had rendered up his soul to
God. The traditions OF the earliest ages Of the
Catholic Church In France, the many memorials
which piety has raised to St. Martin throughout
the whole country, have invested the narrative of
his life and works with the dignity and precision
ofhistory.
The principal events OF his career, the date and
manner OF his death; rest upon evidence which
would SATISFY court law, and those who think
as the best men OF all times have thought-that
there is q sort OF immortality in virtue and self
sacrifice, need not consider those who venerate its
memory either as fools or as fanatics.
st. Martin died upon the 9th Of November, Se7, In
the little town Of Candies, at the confluence OF the
vienne and the Loire, between Port Boulet and
Saumur. AS soon as the news Of his death spread
abroad the chief men OF Poitou and Tourane
nocked to Candies to claim the corpse OF the holy
bishop. But the men Of Touraine were either
more crafty or more fortunate than the men OF
Poitou, and they succeeded in carrying on the
precious relics by stealth.
THE MIRACULOUS SHIP OF TouRArNE.
Tradition asserts that the bark which bore them
moved up the current OF the Loire without sails or
oars that the trees upon the river banks burst ont
in blossoms as II passed upon It's miraculous voy.
age; that the sick who saw it were restored to
health, and that celestial music accom- panied the
body till its arrival at Tours
The remains OF st. Martin were destined to un.
dergo many strange vicissitudes before they found
final resting place, In accordance with prophecy
which he seems 70 have made In the form OF an al.
legory. II being Q custom derived from the ex.
ample OF our Saviour for the first fathers OF the
Church to speak in parallels, st. Martin relates
that shortly after his baptism, he was met at the
gates Of Milan by . stranger ofhaughty aspect, who
inquired abruptly whittier he was goings
ST. MARTIN AND THE DEVIL.
, Fl CO." replied the Saint "where God Is calling
me.n
"Ho, no." returned the stranger, who was no
pther than the Demon of Mischief "whkhersoever
you 60, whatsoever you undertake, II Of good or
great, you shall always nnd me In your path"
"Then" answered st. Martini "God is my strength
hnd my salvation. What can ! fearS" 80 the
nemon vanished as all demons have done before
snd since at the steady rebuke OF faith and cour.
pge.
Inc BODY OF st. Martin was deposited on the
panks OF the Loire. and remained there for a few
oays, guarded by the clergy and people of Tou.
iaine' VINO feared that the Poitevlns might, per.
maps steal march on them. chapel now aban.
ooned, but stin known BY the name OF Little ~
Martin marks the spot where k was laid. The