The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-05-04
TRAPPlETS in KENTUCKY.
HOURS IN oErHsExANE ABBEY.
Hsw she Member OF the Order Lave and New
They are Buried WAeu They Dae.

Anew York Times correspondent writes
from Gcthsemane, Ky.: There are but two
Trappist monasterIes IN the United states.
One OF these Ia situated near Dubuque,
Iowa, aud IL called New Melleray Abbey,
after the establishment at In Meilicraye'
in France. Of which the American monas-
tcr,cs are ofYshoots. This letter is being
penned in the other, In little cell OF Q
room which IL rs fragrant OF open-handed
hosnitalisy M Il Il OF suggestions OF The
ansiere and Notifying devotion OF this
branch Of the Cistercian Order. The
room Is about 10 by ~ feet, and Is fur
nisbed with an iron cot, upon which Is
= mattress stuffed with straw and plain.
coarse covers. There is washstand and
a chair. a little table with crucidx, and a
COPY OF the "Lives Of the Saints" com
pIetes the inventory. There Is gas burn
ing, but the whole immense building Is rs
quiet and darE IS the grave, except now
and then the regular toll OF the monastery
bell comes booming from the tower, and
seems BY contrast TO make the loneliness
sud silence more oppressive. Al O'Clock
In the evening the monks assemble In the
chapel. and with the "Salve Regina" they
close the monastery for the night. Geth-
semane Abbey Is In the southern portion
OF Nelson county, one Of the bluegrass
group OF Kentucky counties, more famous
for whiskey than for piety. 1t Is one
mile from Gethsemane station, on the
Louisville and Nashville railroad, which Is
ffty one miles from Louisville. 1t 10 de-
lightiul walk from the station TO the Abbey,
especially In the early spring, when the
most wonderful manifestations OF nature
ore apparent In the bluegrass. One cannot
a. d.. sx.n1xu Ia .AsCnf M
he must see them % they meltin the scene
the distant hills crowned with forest-trees
IN dim blue, the fields In green or brown,
the Uknobs" of graystone covered with
iron.gray lichen. A mile from the station,
over a irving road, you reach the sum-
NIT OF = hill. and there. in majestic
beauty. the pile OF brick buildings known
"A Gethsemane Abbey Is before you, the
cross upon its highest tower almost kiss
ing the sky. II Is surrounded with highly
cultivated vineyards and gardens, where
the monks labor. and lovely avenues OF
English elms grace the approaches, which
are very inviting. Through one OF these
avenues you approach the porter's lodge,
a long, low, one-stOry building running
the full length Of the main structure. The
door In the centre Is closed, but a ring at
the bell brings one OF the Brothers, amonk
dressed i'm brown.ieans cassocl and cowl
with the scapular over bis shoulders, reach
ing down to his waist, which Is encircled
by belt, from which is suspended his
bunch OF keys and his rosary. This IL the
porter for the time being. He escorts you
to a little waiting-room until the guest.
master can receive you and interrogate
you. On the wall OF this waiting-room
you will discover st. Mary Magda.
iene In an attitude of devotion, with
all the lines OF sorrow, trust, humiliation,
and repentance depicted in the sad but
beautiful face. The pallId, sunken cheeks,
the lustrous eyes, with tears, the hands
clasped in agony and grief, are all a part OF
the atmosphere OF mysticism, modification,
and penance that pervades the abbey.
Father Joseph, the guest-master, who ap-
breaches down the hall, meets the gate
keeper; they incline their heads and MUIR
mur 3" Memento mort i"-rememberd death.
Fiat Is the Trappist mission-to remem-
Der death, to flagellate the body, humble
the soul, mortify the flesh, and humiliate
the spirit. The reminder OF death Is all
through the orderly and beautiful estate.
1t is as beautiful as a cemetery. Beyond
this salutation the monks are not allowed
TO speak to each other or to strangers ex-
cept when in the presence OF the Abbot or
OF one OF the Fathers, or when specially
assigned to duties in connection with
guests. This rule OF silence Is conscienti-
ously observed, but IL seems not to be
rigid.
There is a. story here OF an old French
monk who died some years ago. He had
been soldier OF the First Empire, and
had been both licentious and brave, so
much so that he won promotion under the
Napoleon,c standard. After Napoleon
went to st. Helena the soldier went to La
Trappe, and. taking the VOW Of silence,
shut his eyes and ears 10 the world. How
faithfully he kept his VOW, the story pa
thetically tells. For many years he per-
formed the round OF penance, prayer, and
labor, without speaking OF worldly things,
or reading any intelligence from outside
the walls. He was sent to America, and
here 1t was resumed. In the mean time,
Napoleon was long ago dead and dust To
the century, but his fate must have been
the burning curiosity Of the monks soil
tude. At length, eighty years old, he was
at deaths door. The Abbott, approaching
the mat upon which the old man lay, with
his face to the wall, touched him and said 4:
"Brother. II thou shouldst desire to
speak, sp,ak freely"
The old mans eyes lighted up as he
turned his face to the Abbott and asked
eagerly:
"The Emperor--what became OF him ="
How many years he had turned that
question over in his cowled mind, and how
suddenly 1t came like bolt when he was
permitted to speak 1t was all he cared to
know, and he died satisfied.
The guest-master at Gethsemane is q
pleasant-yoiced man, Of grave and gentle
manners, who makes the hospitality of the
Order very attractive. One may stay a
week without pay at any time. II you
offer payment, 1t is accepted, but II you
do not, there is no Indebtedness. You
owe us nothing" says the guest-master, in
answer to a question, "but IL you desire
to give us fifty cents for each day, it will
DC received"
As We leave the porter's lodge to enter
s1e court Father Joseph points to the stone
silland says: "Over this rock no woman
can enter" No woman has ever been in
side the Abbey of Gethsemane. Just in
side the enclosure OF the monks church
are the graves Of Mrs. Nancy Miles and
Mary Bradford, the latter the only sister OF
Jefferson Davis. These women gave money
to the order and were Its warm supporters
IN the early days, and so were allowed to
be buried there. The wife Of the Presi-
dent Of the United States may enter. in
imitation OF the rule under monarchiai gov
eruments which excerpts the Empress or
. Queen. The court OF the abbey Is taste
fully laid out and ornamented with trees,
shrubs, and flowers. In the centre
-fs statute Of Our Lady OF Lo-
: retto, mounted upon pedestals surround
ed by flowers. To the left In an enclosure
for pet rabbits, containing about 200 OF
these soft and mild little animals In several
varieties Of color. In the facade Of the