The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-03-01
A rrapp,st h1onastery,

There is little hamlet In the south
ern part Of Nelson County KY. a colony
Of Trappist monks. Exte -hally, tho
monastery resembles any other, but
when the doors are once passed the visi-
tor feels as if he had stepped back into
the middle ages. The visitor is courte.
ouslY received and given a cot in cell.
At midnight he is awakened by the bell
which calls the monks to the midnight
mass. The monks continue at their de-
vottons about six and q half hours, and
then they march IN silent procession to
the chapter room. Here they moet .
every morning, and here punishment is
meted out for all offences against the
rules. The abbot's chair is an elevste,l
throne, and in walking to his sent the
abbot passes over his own grave. The
oulprit who awaits judgment also stands
Oh this terrible spot. For punishment
some ore deprived of their meals for
day; others are ordered to prostrate
themselves on the floor, while the monks
walk over them. When a decision is
given the delinquent never murmurs,
but Immediately sets about it's fulfill
ment. ..
BY an ancient rule OF the order all
Trappist morasteries are built in the
form OF aquadrangle, enclosing square
court. All around this court extenes the
cloister, used by the monks as prone
made. Here the inmates never speak,
not even to visitors, nor do they in the
refeotory, dormitory or churches. IN
the graveyard back of the church is the
tomb OF Mrs. Nancy Miles, and by her
side the remains OF Mrs. Mary Bradford,
only sister of Jefferson Davis. Each
monks grave ls marked by black
cross Oh which, in white letters, is
painted his monastery name. At the
foot of each grave is stool which the
monks use in praying for the souls OF
the departed. The dead are not ell
closed in coffins, but are simply wrapped
in their gowns and buried. When Il
death occurs, fresh grave is immedl-
ately opened for the next one who passes
away. In the dormitory each monk has
q" SOA "1V1 "ulAo VI AONfJ uIo-DIlChJ
containing an iron cot. The monk al
ways sleeps with his clothes on. The
regular time for rising is never later
than two O'Clock. but on feast days it is
two hours sooner. In these cells, every
Friday night, the monks scourge them
selves with knotted whip OF many
lashes, in remembrance of the scourging
OF the Saviour. Except by physiclan's
prescription, a monk never tastes meat
of any kind, fish, eggs, butter or lard.
Their diet is exclusively vegetable. No
stimulants, not even tea or coffee or to-
bacco, are used In any form. In the
dining-room each monk is provided with
tin plate and a wooden fork and spoon.
From Sept. II to Ash Wednesday only
one meal day is allowed From Easter
Sunday until Sept IA they eat two meals
dally-one at eleven and the other at
six o'clock. For seven years those WHO
wish to enter are on trial, and all the
hardships are put upon thom. They
can 60 away any day during this period
If they desire, but when the time of
probation is over they take final vow
and are irrevocabiy sundered from the
world. There are about sixty monks in
this monastery. Only two Americans
belong to the order-one from Selma,
Ala, and the other from Philadelphiu.
A remarkable ruld of the order is that
which precludes all females from enter
the abbey, save only the wife of the
ruler of the nation. The Gethsemane
abbey owns 1900 acres of land, half of
OF which is III state Of high cultlva-
ton.