The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-11-17


vaulted roof above aud the rich memorial
Windows beyond the lights. When the
chant ceased the monks led off to bed, and
down a winding staircase and through
numerous halls made my way to the ave-
nue. of eims and the cooling III moonlight.
l showed the good Abbot a newspaper
article on his order. He said that in one
form or another he had seen this article
frequently during the past twenty years
and that each time it Was printed lts errors
appeared to be more exaggerated, until
one, seeing only the first article and the
last, and not being acquainted with the In
termediate ones, would scarcely believe
that the latter had grown out of the former.
For instance, the article said that the only
salutation that passes between monks in
the monastery or at work is "Memento
mori." Such, however, is pot the fact, for
the only salutation is an inclination of the
head, and monks only speak to one an
other when the necessities of business re
quire such a communication. Again, the
article said that the Trappists never
changed their clothing or removed it, ex
cept when it was worn out. This ID quite
untrue, for though the monks do not bathe
out of Iuxuriousness and for the sake of
comfort, they do it as q means of preserv-
ing good health, and each monk has several
changes of attire suited to the different
seasons Of the year. The custom of the
Trappists is to keep in their cemeteries a
partly open grave to receive the body of
the next member of the community who
dies. The evolutions through which this
custom has been made to go by the imegi-
native re writers of old stories cbaDges 1t,
just as the old custom of having skeleton
at the feast would be changed if inetead of
the one general reminder of mortality
each guest should be specially provided
with the osseous part of o fellow beings
anatomy. The article says: Each monk
daily digs out part of the grave that is to
receive his corpse. When the grave is
into it and begins the digging anew.
Should be die while the grave is only
partly dug q brother monk assigned by
him for such an emergency completes the
Work. 40 nn-alL through the -Phila-
delphie Times story.
The colony of monks that founded the
Gethsemane Monastery came to this
under the guidance of Father Eatropeus,
the first abbot. They walked most of the
distance from Mellary to Havre de Grace,
where the colonists embarked on the
steamship Brunswick for New Orleans.
From New Orleans here they came by
boat, and were met by the Bishop of the
diocese and treated with distip guished
consideration. Everything having been
arranged for them to take possession of the
farm in Nelson County, the monks walked
from here to their present home, which has
grown more valuable every year since,
though the old buildings were several
years ago destroyed by fire, and though
during the wsr the farm was in section
first in the bands of one side and then
another. Be it said to the credit of both
sides during the war that neither ever
showed any desire to disturb the quiet life
of these holy men, The country folk in
the neighborhood, of whatever religious
belief, have only one opinion in regard to
Father Benedict, with whom they frequent
ly come in contact, and that is that he is
an honest man in all his dealings with his
fellows and alwsys-a KeDtuckian's highest
compliments perfect gentleman.
] G S.