New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-08
PAULAs FRIENDSHIP F0R ST. JEROME

An audience that completely filed CHECKER
ing Hall gathered yesterday morning 70 hear DR. John
Lord deliver the third In the OF twelve lectures
upon Lights Of the Ola Civilizations" Yesterday morn
ing his subject Paula"
paula, the speaker said " illustriOus Roman
lady Of rank and wealth. wish to speak about
her with special reference 70 the remarkable
friendship that existed between her and 81.
Jerome. It was n most remarkable example Of that
beautiful sentiment which Christianity called forth in
the relations between the seIes-pure devotion OF man
10 woman and woman 20 man. n)t ntcnse by the pas
sion OF love. Paula hgh-born and highly gf'ed
woman Rome was her birthplace and 3i7 A. D. the
year Of her birth She descendant Of the Scipios
and cf the Gracchi. She lived upon Mount Ayentine,
and was immensely wealthy, owning We oh, whole
city in Italy. She wa frat won 20 Chrsanitr By the ex-
ample Of NaTccl who had refused the hand " tho reign
ing Consul On marriage. On her conversion she gave up
her luxurious r Joined larcea and her d.
tbGfcd the greater part Of her fortune the poor
ami became nurse and b'ncfactreSs to the sick and
straw and eli. he'd hers IN hasclO-h This ascetici,m
was the outcome o The Christianity o. the fourth CEN
fury. and protest against that materaism which
undermining sOcie an preparing the 10 ruin
Paula WIS woman Of great humanity, her hospitality
hOundl's and her scatlcsm did not eXtingsh the
natural affections OF her heart her srie ~ The
death other daughter SHOWS She took great pleasure in
plnions were the most gifted aud noble women OF Rome
" 1t when Rome the scene other virtues, both
queen of society and ascetIc that Paula came
under the influence OF jerome. He man OF rank
and unc but bad given his possessions to the poor.
AZ eighteen years Of age he had to Rome 70 COM
pete MS studies. He became dsUsted with be van
ities and pomJs about him. embraced Christianity and
buried himself n thr CatacOmb7 lis inquiring nature
led hm 10 travel and he visited Greece syria. Pale.
,lne and other Eastern lands. He finally called to
Rome 10 he the POpcs counsellor, and II then that
he became friend IA that chosen circle containing
Paula and Marcella. Those high-born ladies lis
G. ned with interest 10 his teachings, anl
entered with sympathy into his schemes 10 extend that
rel gl0n which the Ouly hope OF The decay ing En-
pre. In ta4t charmed circle, whether Paula jerome
welded the most influence the aesthetic influence Of
woman was first seen, when the glory OF the mind
yielded to radiance II the soul They lived only
repair the evils hicl their great prOgent0rs had IN
lc.,d upon mankind They were equals in culture,
perhaps In intellect, but their friendship
sprang not alone from similarity In tastes and
aims it, fOuntainheal the light that raated from
The Cross else II would have been varying and subject 20
circumstance. In $50 jerome embarked Ostea for
the East aud, years later. Wa Joined b. Paula.
Together they travelled through the sOred Lands Of Pa
estluc and Egypt, and finally settled at Bethlehem
whore Paula built convent near the cell OF her friend
During The eighteen years o. their intimacy at BE he-
HEM ana the twelve years IN Rome there was never
whisper of scandal in connection with their friendship,
and there not the Il -ht@sr ground for any Al the
age of fysrveu Paula passed away IN death
she lofty In LIFE aud ucn and poor came 10 her
burial rom every quarter Of Palestine"