Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-09-08
And Stood Manfully for the Pure Doctrine
Inspired by Holy Scripture-The
Monument to His Memory.

THE MONUMENT.
The bas-reliefs in bronze for the base of
the monument at Brescia, cast in the foundry
of Nelli, at Rome, were designed by the art
list Tabacchi, and represent Arnaldo at vari-
GUS periods of his life. The first shows
public square in Brescis, where Arnaldo,
mounted upon a bench before a church.
breaches TO the people in his impassioned
style, with the open Bible held high above
his head. The listening people represent all
grades of thought and all classes of society.
There are faces expressing fear, scorn, won
der, or remorse. One man laughs scornfully,
and q half-nude giant near him grasps him
by the arm and threatens him with a sword.
The second design represents the Roman
forum, with IFS broken columns and fallen
capitals, and the arch of Titus. Arnaldo is
ancient formula, S. P. Q. r. The whole
picture partakes of the severe and
noble character of the place and
of the speaker, but its gravity is
relieved by q side scene breathing all
the wealth of youth and love. A young
girl and a page, forgetful of Arnaldo and
his theme, are absorbed in each other. A
third scene in the life OF Arualdo is that of
his trial before a throng of priests, all show
ing their hatred in their expressive faces.
Frederick Barbarossa, the German emperor,
is also there. Arnaldo is firm and serene.
The fourth scene represents the reformer on
the scaffold. Straight, tall and thin, with
his hands tied behind him, he looks upward
with faith, and trusts his earthly fame to the
future. Near the fearless victim is the trem-
bling Judge who reads the senteuce which
consigns him to the flames. The faces of the
crowd express grief, rage, wonder, or merely
curiosity.
oRNALDo, THE MAN AND MONK.
AIcun gentle
Spirto conforu nell eta futura
La fama mia.
Thus did The great Arnaldo, of Bresica,
commend his tame to posterity. His dying
spirit, but Bresics, his native city, and Rome,
and all liberal and patriotic Italy, unite to
celebrate his name seven centuries after his
death. The idol OF the Roman populace and
the victim OF an English pope and a Germsn
emperor was hanged, his body then was
burned, and the ashes thrown into the Tiber
at Rome in the year 1882. The place of his
suffering is said to be at the Piazza del Po-
polo, and there mural tablet with inscrip-
August by the municipality of Rome.
He was the frat 10 insist upon the
separation of the temporal power from
the spiritual duties aud privileges of
the pope; the first to proclaim that their
union was the source of the immense corrup-
ton which prevailed among the clergy. He
has been followed by Dante, Petrarch, Cola
di Rlenzi, Stephen Porcari, Savonarola,
Aonio Psleario, Giordano Bruno, and a null
titude of other poets, patriots aud m artyrs,
"whsm no man can pumber;" but, as he was
first in order, 30 is he yet first in rank. This
century has witnessed the triumph of his
ideas. The papscy strove for seven centu-
ries to blacken his name or carse it to be for
gotten, but il was united with an eternal
suffering of the nation, and the more it was
illuminated the more did the people love it.
HIS EARLY LIFE.
Little is known of the life of Arnaldo.
Sparse details are afforded by some docu-
ments in Brescia and the records of the
popes. He was born in Brescia, in Lombar-
dy, in the year HOS, and was sent by his pa
rents to France for his studies. He became
a priest while young, and his life was SO
austere, his HASTINGS 30 frequent that che
seemed neither to eat nor drink" His speech
was gracious, his conversation sweet, and all
his person expressive of piety. This feryor
for the ideal of monastic life did not pass
away, but led him to oppose with all the
strength of his character the simony, the dis
soluteness and luxury of the priesthood. Ar
naldo's first public struggle with his superb
ors in the clergy was with Maifredo, the
bishop of Brescia. The Brescians, represent
ed by two consuls desired the reform of the
clergy and the liberty of the country, while
Maifredo, united with the mobiles, re-
fused any concessions. Arnaldo took
an active part with the consuls againEt
the bishop, and, with the Scriptures in his
hand, preached eloquentIy to the people
His holy life, his learning and his zeal gave
him great influence with them; but he found
himself in conflict not only with Maifredo,
but with all the mobiles and clergy, whose
privileges he threatened. The opposing
parties at length, in 1138, took up arms;
and the clergy would have been subdued
had Tot the Lateran Council at Rome, in
1139, condemned Arnaldo as guilty of schism.
Maifredo, returning to Brescia, msgnihed
the decision of the council and drove Ar
naldo and the two consuls out of the city.
ABELARD, THE LOVER OF HELoIsE, HIS
FRIEND.
The tickle populace abandoned Arnaldo,
who fed to other cities OF Bombardy, and
finally, finding no rest in Italy, TO Switzsr-
land. Peter Abelard, who had been his
teacher in his youth, then called him to
France to aid in his defense before the
Council of Sens against the charge of
heresy. The eloquence of the scholar ex-
celled that OF the master, so that st. Ber-
nard. in writing to the pope, condemned the
doctrine of Arnaldo even more than that of
Abelard, and counseled that both should be
and their books were burned. But none were
found willing to imprison them, and they
were both protected by persons high in
Office. AbelaId, then sixty years old, was
soon reconciled with the Church, and died
two years later in great homer. Arnaldo left
France and returned TO Switzerland, where,
at Zurich, he diffused his ideas OF reform in
the PapaI Church: He found hospitality
with Guido da CASTILLO, afterward Pope
III he bn had oil hao
scholar of Abelard. Together in youth
they had followed their master to the woods
and constructed cabins in the solitude. In
stead of delicate food, they lived on herbs
and coarse bread; exchanged soft beds for
straw and husks, and ate from clumps of
earth which they had formed into tables"
Here for FIVE years Arnaldo enjoyed repose,
having probably abjured the subtle doc
trines OF Abelzrd, as Abelard himself had
the gospel, which he studied with holy ardor.
IN ROME.
The city of Rome was at that period in
open rebellion against the popes. One, Luz
cius IL, while assaulting the Campidoglio,
where the senators were assembled to select
their chief, was killed by stone thrown at
him by the Romans. The next pope, Eugene
I'LL, retired to the castles near the city, and
was at open war with the Rom ans during the
whole of his pontifcate of eight years. Ar
naldo then came to Rome, and was hailed by
the people as their leader. He taught tina:
the spiritual and temporal power of the
pontiff were separate, and that he had no
political authority over ROME. When Mich
olas Breakspear, Adrian ~, the only En-
glish pope, became: pontiff, he determined to
obtain possession of Arnaldo, who excited
the party opposed TO his authority. An ex-
cuse for this soon offered, the cardinal OF
Santa Pudezniana, who was hated by the 10
IA an people, having been MORALLY wounded
on the street. This was attributed to the To-
huence of Arnaldo, and the whole oily was
put under q ban until he should be delivered
up. The terror of this exeom munication
paralyzed the populace, and Arnaldo was
soon Obliged 10 fly from the stricken city.
Abandoned by his late friends and followers,
he sought refuge in one of the towns on the
Campagna, but was followed by the armed
retainers Of cardinal and captured.
THE END.
Some counts, warm friends OF Arnaldo,
who believed him saint, hearing of this in
time, followed the party and carried him
away to one of their castles, letting no one
know where he was hidden. Just then came
Barbarossa into Italy to be crowned
emperor by the pope. He rePulsed scorn-
fully the deputation sent to welcome him by
the Romans, but received with great courtesy
three cardinals sent by the pope All of
their requests were complied with, and
among others was this, that he should find
Arnaldo aud deliver him up 10 the pope.
Frederick compliantly sent his men to cap
lure one of the counts friendly to Arnaldo,
and would not release him until he had be-
lrayed his guest. Then Arnaldo was dragged
back to Rome and suffered martyrdom at The
age of about fifty. His eloquence was sd-
mired even BY his enemies; the holiness Of
mis- life was above their reproaches, and his
death was an important element in the final
liberation of Italy from the temporal power
IF the papacy, and the establishment at
ength Of the Iong-sighed-for h6eTtd saii cam
oidogliO.