The Irish standard., 1893-02-11
MODERN MONKS.
Continued From First Page.

presence. Father David and Father
Placid are his aids, the first being the
prior and the second the sub prior and
guest master. Only from these two is
the ban OF silence removed. as far as the
outer world is concerned. They see all
visitors and transact all the business
connected with the management of af-
fairs. They also oversee to some extent
the work of the others, although little
oversight is needed, as long experience
has made them most perfect in agricul-
ture and gardening. The grounds sur
rounding the abbey are enriched in sum
mer with great beds of flowers and tall
rare plants, and the magnificent sea OF
bloom including almost every variety
known to the connoisseur would make
the average horticulturist envious. At
this season, however, the grounds are de-
nuded, the trees bare and leahess and
the whole aspect cherries except within
the walls of the monastery itself.
Far and near, the home made wine OF
Nellary is famoue vintage and Father
Placid never fails to set bottle of this
tempting brew before the guest after
dinner.
Besides New Mellary there is only one
other Trappist monastery in the United
States-the Abbey of Gethsemane, hid
den among the blue Kentucky bills, not
far from hamlet on the Lebanon
branch of the Louisville & Nashville
railroad, and distant 48 miles from
Louisville. Gethsemane is in the heart
of adistrict that has long been noted for
it's beautiful scenery. It is an ofshoot of
the Abbey of La Meilleraye in France.
A Trappist colony was established in the
Blue Grass state as long ago as IT'S, but
it was not till many years atterward that
q second band of the order came from
France and founded the present monas-
tory. There are about ZOO acres OF
land in the Gethsemane domain which is
completely shut out from the world by a
high brick wall. In the center is fat
three story building, with two chapels
and an inner court, and here the peace
full, silent colony lead an existence SINH
lar in ell respects to that Of the monks at
New Mellary. Father Benedict is the
Abbot, Father Edward, the next in au~
thority, ia said, to be OF royal Bourbon
blood, and was noble of France before
he took monastic vows. Brother Joseph,
one of the leading monks, now dead, was
formerly a famous tenor in French opera.
He sang in this country and taught
music in Washington, among his pupils
being Miss Nellie Grant, now Mrs. Sar-
toris. Other members known to visitors
are Father Hilarius and Brother Homo
RUS; but, like all Trappists, the great
body of the monks hold neither converse
nor intercourse of any kind with the
world. Their lives are passed at work,
at devotion and in meditation. On one
of the walls in the abbey is famous
pointing by Vandyke of" Mary in Egypt"
which was presented to the abbey by
friends in Europe many years ago and is
doubtless q priceless art treasure. An
other is Rubeps, the subject being the
"Stoning of st. Stephen"
The brothers at Gethsemane are, If
possible. even more austere than those OF
New Mellary. They eat but one meal a
day, never speak, and after hard rou-
tine OF indoor aud outdoor duties, retire
at shutdown after vigorous scourging,
which each monk inficts upon himself.
Many Catholics priests and laymen-
visit Gethsemane to pass season of
penitence and devotion, and it is not an
unusual thing fo- some who have been
disciplined by ecclesiastical superlors to
atone for their faults by a sojourn there.
As at Mellary, Gethsemane is little
world self-contained Within it's bound
airy walls is all that is needed for the
wants of the monks, so that they are abso'
lutely independent of the exterior world
The death of brother is an occasion
not for sorrow, but rejoicing that the
close of the earthly pilgrimage has been
reached aud heaven won. At the obse-
quies all tend dressed in white robes
and cowls. No GOTTA is used, but with a
spotless white CHI Dir robe for winding
Sheet the body co nmittea to the dust
and the grave is marked by little black
wooden cover white-lettsrea with sim
pie inscription. At the close OF every
such service, several of the monks dig
new grave and it is left open for the next
who dies-a startling reminder OF the
uncertainty of life. One of the graves IN
the little cemetery Is that of De Hodian-
crit, of Belgium, a beaefactor and life
long friend Of the Trappists and of Geth-
semane in particular:
These mon, in way peculiar to them
selves; and which it is difficult for the
world to understand aud appre bate, are
in 10 "a with the singular life they lead.