Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-07
TOLSTOI'S DISCIPLES
A Colony in Kentucky Living
Up to the Precepts of the
Kreutzer Sonata.
FOUNDED CENTURIES AGO
An Abbey Backed by Millions in
Which No Woman Ever Set Foot.
DIET THOROUGHLY VEGETARIAN
Each Monk Tortures Himself With Knout
Before Retiring.
ODD CEREMONIES ATTENDING DEATH
FOUNDED CENTURIES AGO
DIET THOROUGHLY VEGETARIAN
Each Monk Tortures Himself With Knout
Before Retiring.
ODD CEREMONIES ATTENDING DEATH

of the mueh-talked-of work of Tolstoi to
know that down here in Kentucky, amid
the legen dary gallantry and avowed beauty,
there is an institution founded for the sole
purpose of carrying out, as it were, the the
ories set forth in the "Kreutzer Sonata"
And the institution is backed by millions of
dollars and is under the direct jurisdiction of
the Church. refer to Gethsemane Abbey
of Trapplst Monks. But the institution was
founded centuries before the Russian was
born. And while no Americans ever take
upon themselves the monastic vow, the
cloister contains about 100 men who have
found their way from many foreign coun-
tries.
Gethsemane Abbey is situated in Nelson
county. 1t is 215 miles from a station
which bears the same name on the X no1vills
branch of the Louisville and Nashville Rail-
road, and enjoys all the seclusion member
of even that silent sect could wish. Deny
ing themselves the world, the location seems
to have been prepared especially for these
monks, and 1 wondered to myself this morn
ing, as 1 walked out to the abbey, by what
strong guide these men were led to the
isolated spot.
ORIGIN OF THE SECT.
Long before the twelfth century there was
an old abbey founded by La Trappe. in
Normandy, but it never amounted 10 much
until one De Rance, dyspeptic BORT of
Frenchman, who, late in life, was seized
with desire to do something to atone for
his fast life and the high old times he had
had. He entered La Trappe, as the place
was called, and had rules enacted to prevent
the monks from as much as looking upon
womankind. The stormy times of the
French revolution drove the monks from
La Trappe, and they became a lot of long
faced wanderers.
In 1904 or 1905 small party came to
Pennsylvania, but remained there only
short time. They went West and attempted
to found an abbey on the prairies in Illinois,
but were unsuccessful. Bardstown, XIV,
at that time was the Episcopal See of the
Western Hemisphere, and toward that
place the badly-used-up monks turned their
faces One more effort was made to estaD-
lish an abbey, and as result we now have
Gethsemane. These monks now have about
1000 acres of land here, and while most of
it is too hilly to cultivate, they make their
farm and dairy products support the insti-
tuition.
A MONSTER BUILDING.
The main building was erected a few years
ago at a cost of 100000, is three stories
high, brick, and OF the best masonry. It is
square, with four open courts, and the whole
structure is encircled by high brick wall.
A low brick building is constructed on the
outside OF the western wall, and this struc-
ture furnishes reception rooms and parlors
for guests, as well as the only gateway into
the main building and courts.
hrI1d it -,
woman ever passed. Gentlemen are cordially
admitted, but a leathery-looking guard with
bunch of heavy keys dangling from his
side, informs you that your lady companion
must not set foot upon the holy ground.
There are two kinds of monks here-those
who labor and those who do not. The
laborers speak when absolute necessity de-
mands it and signs fail; the non-laborers are
silent. All wear a gown made of heavy
wooden fabric, with a cowl of the same ma
terial, heavy boots or shoes and no hats.
The laborer's garb is brown; that of the nom
laborer pure white.
SAME THING DAY AFTER DAY.
The daily life of the monk never varies.
To-day sees him doing what Yesterday saw
done. A large bell is tapped at certain
hours for certain prayers or certain passages
to be read, and the same prayer is repeated
LudL WAS TeDedbeu Wueu Tue Dt11 WAS bdppeO
at the same hour yesterday.
In the southern part of the third story is
large hall used as a sleeping apartment.
Each monk has his own division, or cell,
somewhat resembling a stateroom of a
second class steamer. The furniture of these
cells consists of narrow iron beds and in
struments of torture, made of hemp rope
tied into knots and about IS inches long.
When he enters his niche the Trappist dis
robes to his waist. With his knotty rope
he whips himself across the shoulders and
down the back until the skin is covered
with wouds, from which the blood often
oozes. Then, drawing his wooden robe
around his bruised body, he lies down, be-
lie7ing the world is better for his selfin-
ficted punishment.
A ToLsToIAN DIET.
The diet OF the Trappist monk is strictly
Tolstoiau. It consists of vegetables, fruits
and bread, together with pungent cider and
wine. All that is required to be cooked for
a meal is cast into a large kettleswhich sits
on an oven, and with the aid of pure water
a kind of burgoo is made. This is served in
wooden bowls and partaken of by means Of
wooden spoons, each monk being the archi-
tect of his own tableware. No word is
spoken during the meal, and these wooden
utensils render the silence next to that OF the
tomb.
Curiosities that would grace the cases Of
our most noted museums are on every hand.
The library is q marvel of antiquity. Il
contains many worn volumes and manu-
scripts. One of the largest books in the
world is to be seen here. II is made Of
parchment, is about four feet square and
fully II inches thick. It contains Latin
prayers, and bears evidence that it was made
by monk in Normandy in the fourteenth
century. The ink has not faded, and many
Of the initial letters, which are wrought in
colors, are works of art. The library con-
tains about 900 volumes, but few Of which
are in English, and most of which are Of
ancient date.
VISIT TO THE CEMETERY.
The cemetery is interesting in its sim
plicity. It is within the enclosure, and con-
tains some 30 graves. A plain, black wooden
cross marks the resting place of each OF those
who have been inferred there, and upon this
cross, in ghostly white letters, is the name Of
him who sleeps beneath it, and not another
word can be learned of the history of the de-
ceased than the simple name.
When a monk is buried here q new grave
is dug, all of the monks taking part, so that,
let death select whomsoever he may from
their number, certain it il that he will
occupy grave he has helped to dig.
From what could learn Of their mannsr