The Irish standard., 1893-02-11

tment and still less Of disappointment, and
fever looking forward and waiting con-
Itentedly for the end of lite-such is the
fcareer Of Trappist. He is stirred
neither by enthusiasm nor ambition, and
! is probably more Of Christian etolc-if
such com bination can be- conceived OF,
| than any other monk or recluse has been
since the times-some seventeen cen
turies ago--when persecution drove the
followers OF the Nazarine to caves aud
mountains, aud when the oldest OF
monastic retreats, the famous Mar Saba,
! was founded, built and fortified among
1 the Judean hills.
Yet the Brotherhood of Mellary Alb
boy is not by any means gloomy and
unhappy family. There are among them
some fine old characters who, when the
seal Of silence is lifted from their lips, as
is occasionally done by the courteous
abbot when stranger comes, can prove
themselves most agreeable and entertain
ing companions. Simple as children In
all that pertains to the outer world, some
of the monks give evidence OF minds
stored with erudition and of a knowledge
of science and literature that indicates
magnificent training in earlier years. 1t
is not difficult for men possessed OF such
resources and with the potent combina-
ton Of religion and philosophy, to find
contentment even in wilderness. But
if the grounds of Mellary ever formed
part of a wilderness, they certainly must
have undergone q tragical transforma
ton.
sWe make no effort to induce others
to join the order," said my companion,
after we had inspected the grounds, and
when we were snugly ensconced in the
Il guests dining hall, I before an apps-
tizing repast and he for the nonce acting
for the humble servitor of the stranger
though i had vainly protested against sc
ouch attention. ''Pnests ''P are occasion
ally admitted as members, but the Sc
verify of our lives and the novitiate deter
men from joining through the impulse Of
disappointment with the things of the
world. NJ, disappointment in love il
not a cause that impsls mon to seek
monastic sscluslon; at all events We
know of very few such cases, and they
probably exist only in the brains of 70
mancers. The monastic tendency il
usually a thing of lorg growth, anl
sometimes may be traced back almost tx
childhood. Perhaps it would not be a,
exaggeration to say that some men ar
intended by nature to be monks, ant
have the predilection from their birth" +"
Some of the brothers at Mellary ar,
we'll stricken in years, not few beinE
close to the traditional four score; ye
> these veterans are, as a rule, hale ant
> hearty and remarkably strong for me,
$ Of such an advanced age. Their sobriet.
and temperance in all things has lef
: their bodies unlmpaired 10y the excesse
I and dissipations found among men til
i world over. They have not, in all seem
. ing, known the passion Of love, as th
4 world knows it; indeed, no foot of woman
4 has ever crossed the threshold Of the Alb
}. bey and no feminine face save that O
: the Virgin, or some patient beautiful
!, saint, seen in the pictures within tb
< Abbey. rises before the Trappist brother
. as they go about their daily tasks or as
9 semble at their devotlons. Womauhoo,
: is beyond the pale of their serious live
! and is met, even at distance, witt
4 averted face and downcast eyes.
One romance, however, remains to th
monks of Mellary, but it relates to tn
Irish convent rather than to their OWL
One of the most famous Of Trappis
monks in former days joined the orde
on the day set for his wedding. His prom
, ised bride was lovely Irish girl whom
he had known since childhood. Thei
troth had been plighted and the weddin,
day fixed. but the young lover on tn
night preceding the ceremony ponderet
; long and deeply and finally concluded
that his love was that of a brother rathe
; than bridegroom. After a painful
struggle he decided to sacrifice his affec
tion, and when the hour for the cere
mony came he was absent. The gir
waited with her friends in fearful impa
thence, but her lover never came. In
stead, he knocked at the great doors o
the old Irish Abbey at Mellary, and the
monks let him in. He remained there
for many years, and when he returned t.
; the world it was to occupy the throne o.
bishop. This monk was known a
Bishop German of Omaha.
OF the so brothers at New Mellary Il
are choristers and As lay brothers, The
superior being Father Alberto, 3 man
Continued on Sixth Page.