Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-02-09

There is i'll little hamlet in the south.
eln part of Nelson County, KY, n colon,
of Trappist monks. Externally. the
monastery resembles any other, but when
the doors are once passed the visitor feels
as If he had stepped back into the middle
ages. The visitor is courteously received
and given cot in n cell At midnight
he is awakened by the bell which calls
the monks to the midnight mass. The
monks continus at their devotions about
slX and n half hours. and then they march
IN silent procession to the chapter room.
Here they meet every morning. and here
punishment is mctcd out for all offences
against the rules. The abbott's chair is
an elevated throne, and i'll walking to his
seat the abbott passes over his own grave.
The culprit who awaits Judgment also
stands ON this terrible spot. For pun.
lshmcnt some are deprived of their meals
tor day; others are ordered to PROSTATE
themselves on the floor while the monks
walk over them. When decision is given
the delinquent never murmurs, but I'M
medlately sets about its fuliilment.
by an ancient rule of the order all
lrappist monastelics are built in the
form of quadrangle, enclosing II square
court. All around this court extends the
cloister. used by the monks as II promen-
adc. Here the inmates never speak. not
even TO visitors. nor do they in the refec-
tory, dornitory 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 sis
ter OF Jefferson Davis. Each monk s
grave is marked by II black cross. on
which, in white letters, is painted his
monastery name. At the foot of each
grave is II stool, which tho monks use in
praying for the souls of the departed.
The dead are not enclosed III collins. but
are simply wrapped in their gowns and
buried. When II death occurs, a fresh
grave Is immediately opened for the next
one who passes away. In the dormitory
each monk has n cell with walls of heavy
hre-brick, containing an iron cot. The
monk always sleeps with his clothes ON.
Ihe regular time Tor 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 II knotted whip of many lash
es, III remembrance of the scourging of
the saviour. Except by physicians 5
prescription, monk never tastes meat of
any kind, fish, eggs, butter or lard. Their
tiet Is exclusively vegetable. No stimu-
lants, net even tea or coffee or tobacco.
are used in any form. In the dining
room each monk is provided with tin
plate and wooden fork ndspoon. From
Sept. II to Ash Wednesday only one meal
day is allowed. From Easter Sunday
until Sept. II they eat two meals daily
one Mt eleven and the other at SIX o'clock.
For seven years those who wish to enter
are ON trial, and all the hardshps are put
upon them. They can go away any day
during, this period if they desire. but
when the time of probation is over they
take u final VOW and are irrevocably sun
dered 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 Philadelphia. A remark
able rule Of the order is that which pre-
cludes all females from entering the alb
hey, save only the wife of the ruler of
the nation. The Gethsemane Abbey owns
1900 acres of land. half of which is in II
state of high cultivation.