The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-02-06
THE IMAGE MAKER.

ono mw them passing from pillar "a pillar,
under tho aruhwaJs Of lhNlaFge oloslar, with
a muruur u conversation ur prayers
Among their number WA young monk,
named Norbert, who was q famous lmage
maker, ITO know how t0 fashion from wood
or stone OF oven fidm clay, which hp tinted
with warm ooloH, aurh beautiful statues ot
Jesus, Of Mary and ei lbe saints, that priests
aud pInus persons came from afiw % Wow
them, nnl paid hlgl prices COZ uiam, that
they might hdom thrIr churches ~ Gral0fieA
Norbert Was very pIpua, llo fultI above all,
Tor tho Holy Virgin au extraordinary dey0'
ton, aud w0nld uften I6mHlu pralruled Zoe
hours baiore liadthr of the lmnIhHulnto One,
his face hidden under ha hood, nud the fpldi
Of hia robe spread around him on tho slpuel,
lle was q dreamer sImelimes Especially
AZ evening, when he lDlgsd from tho helght
OF tho terrace and SAY lbe nn slnkIng below
tho horizon, he became nd aud restless, lie
wished t0 Journey fpl.- 10 500 other corners
Of tho earth than the which he lived M,
Az such times, the prior said ~ himi
"What could you toH blanwhere that You de
not 700 whore youHfel Here are tho sky, tle
earth, tho clements oi tLote all things are
made Even II you could behold tho wh0ls
world NJ once, wllat would u DO but q yaln
ymuur
The good monks were very charitable, and
~ thuy we're also rich a day came when
thmo WaF no longer n single pvrsou HulfurIng
from want In thaf nrlghborhood Thon they
resolved 70 build a magnificent church near
their convent
They called 10 their aid several hundred
Worl,men WHO opened doep quarrieH that
looked like wounds, dazzling white, Ia tho
flank of tho mountain They drew thenoe
numberlefs blaaRa Of Stone that thoy chla
elod artfully, aud NIL tho convent was enyol'
opel In white dust lgo -four
They cut down, on tho wooded slopes that
rose bohind the monastery, tho most boauu'
tul llra aud oaks Tor tho timber work 0f tho
church, and ull the convent wna
onyeloped In yellow dust like gold
In tho midst of the Immense solitude Il was
like the humming ot q human hive Each
workman, ~ ho carved hls stone Tor The fu'
turo cathedral, know not whore that stone
would bo placed, or oyon II u would DO seen
by the eyes of the faithful But ull rejolocd
together In their oo.Hhor and zach ono In his
humble part Ot the holy work.
And soon, slowly, stone by stone, the
church mounted, mounted towards tho Hgy
ono OF the ancient monks ot tho convent,
dead In tho odor of mnctty, had written
these words m a little book Of pIous moilta'
tons which ho called "lho Imitation ot
Christi
"Do not dispute over the mcrits Of tho
saints, rhoao researches are productive ufton
Of useless contest, they nourfh pride aud
yainglory whence spring Jealousy aud dis
sonaons- some pr'torring ono saint, somo
profOrring another Tho examination Of
such questions, fur tror bringing forth good
fruit, IL uuplcasing 70 the mlnlan
Tho good monk, dIsoboyod this prcccpt, one
cyoning as thoy talked together upon tho con
vent terrace, after the nngoIut Not only did
thoy dispute about the merits OF many saints,
but even concerning that u the three persons
OF tho divine Trinity Perhaps II
thoy had bcon los plous, they would have
found u better 10 steep themselves silently IN
tho ponccfuncsa of evening, Not fr OF, tho
walls Of the future sanctuary roao, DINNER,
yet grandcr In tho uncortaintwiliRht, aud
the new walls seemed os beautiful aud maIos'
tic as ruins Below wound tho river silver
az II frozen, The sottiug sun Gust ylolot
glow upon tho trees on the eastern sldo Of tho
plain; aud now and then the bayIng Of u dog,
or tho distant cronking Of the axlolreo Of
somo wagon mudo the silonoo deeper,
Tho prior spoke lrsti
"lt u fitting that our church should be-
placed undor tho protection Of our FOUNDER
Saint Onuphrc, otherwise the faithful viii
perhaps believe that there Is creator saint
than the ilustrous onchorIto whooytahlishcd
our order, and lhot would cast discrodit
upon u.s.
Tho sub.pHor mIdi
"rho most rcycrod saints are but palo ro'
Elections Of their model Christ lf you think
with me, wO will consocrato the church 10
our Lord jesus
Tho monk Alcuin, more than hundred
years old, no thin aud 30 twisted with years
that his white robe fell about him In strange
angles, like garment that had been hung 10
dry upon lnotty vine branch, now put In
his words 'l propose God the Father, Hlo
has beon neglected a little, Although ho
croatod tho whole world ho might bo forgot
ton altogether, but for the custom OF reciting
the Pator.N
Tho monk Thoobald shrugged his phoul.
ders. Ho was the profouudost thoologion OF
tho abbey. Never did ho 80 forth into the
folds; ho lived In the library, buried In
parchmonts, deciphorIng ancient writings,
aud II was believed chat upon every subject
ho could express valuable opinion, "lt Is
10 tho Holy Ghost" said he "tliat would
dedicate our church; for his reign Is 10 come,
Aftor tho revelation Of God The Father 10
Abraham, of Christ 10 the Apostles, win bo
that Of tho Holy Ghost y In the
world vico and imploty reign, and mon with.
out number commit dns that viii damn thom
etornally; the Holy Ghost will complete the
redemption II Is announced In tho Gospels
only one must know how 10 road.h
Hero the prior frownod and tho sub-prlor
Inade sign TO Thoobnld 10 DO silent,
Eginard, a monk thirty years old, with
hold imnerions features, Baid In his powerful
voice, 81 would elect ~ the patron OF our
church thehoy Pope Gregory He was more
powerful than emperors and kings, He real
lied that material force which, like every
thing else comes from God, Is yet the most
efllcacious means Of action In the hands Of
his servants and that ho s truly charitable
who constrains humanity TO work out its sal
vation.n
'I,n said tho father who looked after the
garden, "profer Saint Fiacrc, He was, in
this mortal life, only u poor man who worked
his best at his trade, aud lived in the fear Of
God. But, truly the greater part Of the
people IN tho world nro poor and humble,
and we must show thom examples Of virtues
that they can understand and initiate"
At that moment a peasant passed In the
path at tho foot Of tbotcrrace with his pick
az over his shoulder The prior called him
politely, and Saidi -----.--.