The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-03-19
LIKE A MEpIEyAL MONK.
An Interesting Interview with " r
nous English Priest.

nous English PRIEST.
The religious circles of New England
and New York have been stirred to their
centre by the appearance of Father Igna-
titus, n monk of the Order of st. Benedict,
peculiar organization belonging to the
British Church. His .utterances have at
tracted thousands, and he has been brought
into particular notice by the manner in
which he has been received by the clergy
of this country.
Father Ignatius arrived in this city yes
terday, and. is stopping at the Temple
Cafe, where he has already received many
visitors. He Is accompanied by Father
Michael, who, like himself, Is monk OF
the Benedictine Order, Brother David and
Sister Anne. He is an elderly, pleasant
faced man, clad in the habilimenis of the
traditional monk. His face Is smooth
shaver and his head tonsured. He is n
fluent and energetic speaker, and talks
with an English accent. Last night he
told a CRITIC reporter something of the
order which he represents.
"Our object in coming TO the States
he said, lis to preach the gospel and the
true Christian spirit of religion to all peo-
pie and all denominations., The money
which we raise will be used for the com
pletion of the monastery of the order at
Llantony in Wales, a place about six miles
from the castle of Adelaide Patti, the
famous prima donna. On st. Patrick's
day twenty-one years ago the foundation
of the monastery was laid. This monas-
terry has been my life work and before
die hope TO have completed it.
when | was youth ] always felt
desire for solitude and to separate myself
from all worldly things. found that
could join the Catholic Church and be-
come monk of that church, but this my
views would not allow me to do. cannot
nor will not admit the Instability of the
Pope. The Church of England had no
monks or monasteries at the time speak
OF, and after ] was ordained minister of
this church j determined to establish a
monastery, and feeling myself called
upon to open new fields of religious labor
began to give utterance to my projects.
I'm London the spectacle of a clergy
| man of the established church clad as u
monk OF the middle ages attracted inn
mense crowds. found that | was often
| preaching to more brickbats than cop
peIs. was inhibited from preaching by
| different bishops of the established
church, and frequently the crowds to
whom discOursed became riotous. Sew
| eral times my life was threatened by mobs
| in London and elsewhere. On one oc-
| casion in Suffolk, England, big fire was
| prepared by mob of rioters and was
about to be thrust In 1t, when ] was res
cued in very unromantic manner. An
| old woman rushed upon the man who
on his head with teapot that he was
stunned, and q party of my friends
coming up | was saved. ] have had
many strange and startling experiences,
and have often been requested to write 4
history of my life but half of the stories
] could tell of the persecution ! endured
in my earlier days would not be believed
1 E.at nett sc al. p..t. II.
church, as have said, / established my
self, but about thirty years before nun
merry. on the same principle was founded
| by Miss Sellon. The monks of the abbey
at Llantony arecompelled to renounce the
world and to devote themselves to religion
They are compelled to take three vows
voluntary poverty, voluntary celibacy
and voluntary obedience. This Is the
only monastery of its kind i'm the world
and there are but dozen membe under
strict VOWS, but there are over ;0) mem
hers altogether. We are under the rule.
of the Order of st. Benedict and undergo
strict monastic life. Eight hours of til,
day are devoted to work, eight to re
ligious exercises and eight to rest and eat
ting. Our religious devotions commenc,
at a. m. and we have but half an houl
for recreation. This order may be re
garded as out of place in the Nineteenth
Century as It is an exact reproduction o.
the monastic institution Of the Middl,
Ages, and people say ought to have beer
born 400 years ago, but ! believe it to b,
the only Christian life. Our order is not
as many believe, Roman Catholic one
1t is the extreme idea of the high Episco
pal Church people"
Father Ignatius has not met with q
great opposition from the Church of Eng
land during the last few years. II has be
come the fashion, he says, for the Englisl
nobility to attend his services. His dis
courses have always been addressed to tn
higher classes, and for this reason he ha
always charged an admission fee. II
poorer communities no charges are made
In Boston, the Father says, he was refused
by the late Bishop Paddock, and his ser
mons were delivered in public halls t,
thousands of people. After this churche
of oil denominations were thrown open (,
him, among them being the Unitarian
church of which DIR. Edward Everett Hal
is pastor.
In New York Father Ignatus met will
Church, and his remarkable addresse
thronged the halls In which he preached
He has been well received in the South
but was pleased to have arrived in Wash
ington.
city," he said, and will stay here unit
Faster week, when | expect TO preach i
Philadelphia"
Father Ignatius does not believe in
sectarian view of religion. mo man." h
said, 'can be saved unless he has persona
faith, whether he be Catholic, Episcopa
liam, Methodist or any denomination
whatsoever
The first of the sermons in this city wi
take place at the Masonic Temple mex
Sunday.
THE MARKET RESERVA rION