The Irish standard., 1893-06-03
A SOLDIER MONK.
The Marquis of Segarra, a Spanish
Warrior, Abandons the Camp
for the Cloister.
ENTERS A TRAPPIST ABBEY.
He Follows the Example Set by
Other Gallant Soldiers in Eu-
rope and America.

rope and America.
The recent announcement that the
Marquis of Segarra, who is described as
having been one of the bravest Spanish
noblemen who espoused the unlucky
cause of Don Carlos, has laid aside his
sword and exchanged his Uniform for
the sombre habit of the Trappist monks,
is not by any means the first instance on
record wherein the cloisters Of religion
have wooed and won soldiers grown a.
weary of strife and battlefelde, says a
writer in the Boston Republic. Even in
the earliest annals of the Church may be
found numerous cases Of such conver-
sions; and st. Paul himself was in GER
tain sense soldier; while in the more
modern records of religion not al age
has passed wherein some warrior did
not resign his sword to take in his hands
the breviary; and not a few such person
ages attained high bonors and rank III
the Church. The story of St. Ignatius,
tor instance, is we'll known, and the poet
has immortalized it in verse by relating
how when the Spanlard hung his votive
blade in the Chapel Of Our Lady of
Montserrat,
"Glory. he cried, with thee I've done!
Fame, thy bright theatres shun.
To tread fresh pathways now;
To track thy footsteps. Savior God!
With thrObbing heart, with feet unShOd;
Hear and record ny VOW.
The religious order which the Marquis
of Segarra has joined has welcomed val
liant warriors to it's ranks befors it re-
ceived him among it's members. The
recent reunion of the two Trappes, ef-
fected at the last general chapter of the
order held at Rome, brought ont the
story of the present superior Of the COM
mun1ty, who, as Captain Wyart, achieved
an enviable reputation as soldier. In
fact, it may be said that the Cistercian
order has always special power OF at
tracing war-weary soldiers within i:s
cloisters, and has opened the doors of
monasteries to many such personagee.
One of the most celebrated of such re-
cruits to its ranks, in modem times, at
least, was Baron Geramb, who went to
Rome during the pontifcate of Gregory
XVI. and achieved no little notoriety
there, as he had previously done in Lon
don, by his cleverness, oddities and re-
ceptions. The famous Cardinal Wise
man, who spent considerable time in the
Eternal City after the entrance of the
baron into the ranks of the Trappists,
has left us graphic extract of tho man
as he saw him at Castel- -Gaudolp, where
he was the guest of the Franciscans, at
their convent at that lovely spot. IF the
stranger examines him." wrote the great
Er -lish churchman of the Cistercian, she
wiz easily discern, through the gravity
of his look, not only nobleness of coun-
tenance, and through the simplicity of
his habit, not merely gracefulness Of his
demeanor which speaks the highly-bred
gentleman, but even visible remains of
the good -humored, kind-hearted and SOL
dierly courtier There turks still in his
eye sparkling gleam of wit suppressed,
or disciplined into harmless coruscetions.
Once when met him at Albano, he had
brought as gift to the English Cardi-
nal Acton, spirited sketch Of himself
and his gallant gray rolling together in
the dust. When l callel OF him at his
convent, he showed me an imperial letter,
Just received, announcing to him the
gallantry and wound Of his SOD, fighting
in Circassia; and several other royal epis-
sles, written in the pleasant tone Of friend
to friend" Yet DR.. Wiseman adds this
ex-soldier was at the time he saw him
true monk Of that strjctest Of all the re-
ligious orders, the Cistercians. His only
room was his convent cell, devoid of not
alone luxuries, but articles which most
persons consider indispensable for COM
fort; his fare was of the simplest sort,
and his daily avocations were prayer and
meditation.
The causes which led to Baron Ger
amb's conversion and entrance into the
religious life were somewhat curious.
Some years before he had taken refuge
in London, but the attention of the gov
ernment having been drawn to him, he
was ordered to Quit the land in which
such men as Garibaldi and Mazzini had
received q welcome. He refused to do
so at first, and barricaded his house. OF
course theslaw prevailed IN the end, and
he was after q gallant defence Of his
castle, sent ont of England. Then be
went q rance where, ttor polite sof-