Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-08-26
The nrder Of 81. Francis.

militia of the Middle Ages in the
free Italian communes. Friends to
the weak, foes to the oppressors,
they lived on the charity Of the peo-
pie; they dospised the rich, cour-
ageous because they aided with
right, fearless because they num-
bered legion, free because they did
not possess anything, and so had
nothing to lose. There is a whole
series Of poets belonging to this
order, the first of whom is st. Fran
els himself. Fond as he was Of the
poor, he does not care to sing in
any other language than that of the
people. His first song is q hymn
to the sun; but the Characteristic
feature Of this sacred troubadour is
that his marriage with poverty is
but an imitation of the chivalrlc
usages of the time. He was hand
some and young; he had distribu--
ted his money in aims, he had
learned the habits of the trouba-
dours, the arts of the courier, the
traditions of the Knights of the
Round Table. He was a gay com
panion, the lord of banquets, the
minstrel of society; he dreamed Of
wrongs to redress, Of the innocent
to save, of the weak to raise by his
courage-he loved, in short, all the
enterprises and adventures OF
knights-errant. He accompanies
one of the Orusades ; he bravely
fights before Damietta; he con
ceives the formation of a new chiv-
airy, the chiyalry Of Christ, and he
returns to Italy to found his order
But could there be a good chevaliel
without his dame? Certainly not
He had just returned; his friends
visit him, and find him thoughtful
"What is it," they ask "do yol
} think of choosing wife?" "Yor
have guessed" he says. 81 an
thinking of marrying one that i
to me the noblest, the richest
and most beautiful dame. NJ,
Ilady is Poverty" He then sing
a hymn to Poverty, whicl
he personifes, according to th
symbolism of the time, seeing il
3 her eyes the power of snatchini
Q souls touched with her love from
all terrestrial thoughts and incli
nations, and raising them to tn
} contemplation of the angels. Oh
the 26th of May, 1919, in the smil
ing valley below the city Of Assist
the saints native place, the frs
: general review of his militia too
place. They mustered 5000 mer
encamped under the shade of tn
Z. beautiful foliage. Their clothe
n were sackcloth, the earth their bed
J. a stone their pillow, and their re
!. creation was prayer and the sing
: ing of hymns and psalms. Peopl
. assembled from all parts; poor an
;, rich asked each other what'itmean
1t at is the camp of God-it is tn
Is holy chivaIry." They were the foI
( lowers Of ST. Francis, who ha
: taken the oath Of poverty, and wei
y going to receive the watohBor
a h from their chief, which was "Lo'
d of God, nature and mankind; po-
a erty and humility" They separat
a they scatter themselves to ali par
Z of the world, they consider then
k' selves the cheyaliers of faith. |
the East they take the place of Il
Knights Templar; in the West the
.,s preach to the Moors; in Italy the
hO assist the lepers and teach the pc
D. pie poetry-popular poetry-so th
- thew NAV understand and sing Il
~ praises of God. In the sublin
SONGS Of st. Francis there breath,
nt q spirit Of faith and enthusias
which, in spite Of 2 language st
= rude and imperfect, give them
harmony quite in accordance WI
~ the subject, His poems have
graceful and touching simplici
for one who reads them with vic
to the life Of their apthor. In rea
.,E ing them one must remember tn
he wrote them when, absorbed
contemplation, after life Of lab
" he gave positive farewell to t
ur- world, to look upon it from loi
-. L. Ell L,,t lnun