The Irish standard., 1890-11-29
a NOTABLE PAINTING.
70 be Placed On tho Wall ot
st. James Church, Chicago. H

u ! /. Il Z
The Subject In "1he Noble Army Of
Martyrs" and IL Very Hemutifnl- Ten
Figures Are Represented, Five Women
and FIVE Men.
On the north wall of St. James'
Church, Chicago. Is to DO placed . mnral
painting in many ~aya noticeable. The
subject IL t'Ihe Noble Army Of Mar
tyrs," aud the representatives In tho
picture are nine In mum her--four men
aud Ave women. 1t IL not without
cause that women are in the majority
ia this cluster Of figures representing
shoae who received tho crown Of life,
because they were faithful unto death.
In tho history OF mattytdom We do not
reoolleet reading Of any women who
turnsd back from the flame and steel
and purehnsed life by denying the
Saviour. Among men such instances
ut recreancy were not rare. In this
picture accordingly, and occupying tho
central portion Of it, are the Ave
women who We're conspicuous for the
aplendor Of their personal beauty, the
aoblity Of their birth, the charity
which was more than Vestal, the for
titude which was more than Roman,
who endured physical fortunes.
Agatha, with the piucera with which
abe was torn; Cecilia, the musician,
carrying the organ which is her attri-
bnte In ecclesiastical art Agnes, the
virgin martyr; Catherine, Tortured on
she wheel /; Margaret, who, to avoid an
anfam Gus uni ion, fed into the arms OF
tina Church and saved her innocency
and her soul at the cost % death OF
untnd ngonios - thasa arc tho noble
&rmy Of martyrs among women. Then
there are four heroes Of the mnruyrology.
Tho three ut tbs rear Of the procession
are Stephon, Ignntina and George, each
with his appropriate emblem. Stephen
holds the martyr's palm aud u volume
OF tho Scriptures in one hand, and IN
the other rugged stone. Next appears
Ignatius, Bishop "f Antioch, who was
torn to pieces by lions at Rome. The
war; Tor George, Of Cnppadocin. in full
body nrmor, spear aud shield and pan"
non, stunds IN front of these two; and
leading the whole procession is sebnH"
tian, who carries the arrow aa Il symbol
of hia death.
A little in advance Of this band Of
nine martyrs is a. stntely and venerable
figure OF It Bishop In mitre and cope,
and carrying tho erosier OF his office.
This il ~. Angus the, tho great Bishop
.of Hippo, from whose lips, 1T is snid,
she words: 1.-The Noble army OF Martyrs
Praise Thee" frat fell Tho TO Deum,
acc ording to tradition, was iirst
used ut the baptism Of Mnnica's
aon by Ambrose, Bishop ct Milan, be-
ing sung sntiphonnlly by Ambrose and
Augustine on that occasion. Hence the
Atnass OF Introducing the great saint
and father as commanding TO God tho
victorious army whose representatives
,ars depleted IA standing side by aide
with him before tho presence OF com
mon Lord,
It IL a religious ri ctnre which keeps
10 tho eunVontionnlities Of ecciesiasti.
onl tradition in art, while ut tho Balne
aims it is highly effective aa g piece Of
modern painting. The beauty Of tho
eountennnuos, for inatnhce. Is the un.
surthly heAuty which is different from
tho vacuous or vulgar prettinese soen
zoo often In French or American tran
soripts OF the human face divine In
Aellect, santltied emo ton, aud spirit
,aaI light radiate from brow and lip and
sye In the ehnntened lines which the
tpainter has traced on his canvas.