Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-28
HIS HOLINESS.

"Pope Leo XIII. is the living exempllf
cation OF the grand monastic maxim
Laborare est orare.
AT S4-the Holy Father is well on into
his s5th year--he is an unwearying. active
prayerful constant worker
His life is one long round OF work
and prayer; broken. in Difference to his
physician, by short pauses for the re-
taxation of his mind and the refreshmen'
OF his body, without which his burning
zeal for the advancement OF the
Christian faith. and for the spread OF
Christian influence would wear out even
his enduring frame.
For seventeen years the Holy Father
has been guiding Christendom: seventeen
years OF steady effort. of marvellous pa
thence. Of dgnified resistance. of edifyins
progress, and of spiritual conquest
'rhe Holy Father found the Church
suffering. wounded. MANNED.
THE mundane influence and glory OF
the Papacy had been lessened. The moral
influence Of Rome seemed shaken. d.
In the seventeen memorable years OF
his pontificate. however, Leo XIII. has
regained all that had been lost, and won
new glories for the Church
"He has raised the moral, the political.
and the spiritual power of Catholic
Chrlstendom
'He has earned the admiration OF the
peoples. the friendship Of their rulers,
the love of the Catholic clergy. and the
willing or unwilling admiration of his adj
yersaries.
And all this he has accomplished by
hard work, by prayer. by faith; by the
force of his firm will. his high intelli-
gence. and his inhexible adhesion 10
principle"
LOOKING BACK.
1t has been the Cardinals good fortune
to meet the Holy Father face TO face on
many occasions in Rome; first, al the
Ecumenical Council in 1863 and 1870, when
the future Pope was known To tn" world
as Cardinal Pecci secondly, In 1888 and
1854 when the archbshops Of the United
States were IN Rome preparing for the
Third plenary Council OF Baltimore; ana
again IN the spring of 1AS1. when the
Holy Father conferred upon lin The
dignity of the Cardinalate.
on each of these occasions he hac
private audiences of the Holy Father
whose constant enlightened. and affec-
tionate interest in the welfare Of Anleri-
can Catholics and the advancement OF
Catholicism in this country made deep
impression on him. as on all the other
archbishops and bishops who approached
him.
Tie usually found the Holy Father in
his private apartment overlooking the
Eternal City and facing the historic
P.nclan Hin.
AN TNTIRING WORKER.
Sometimes. although II was early in
the day. he had been up for hours, at
tending to his devotions, writing, and
at n -
lnunication of the Papal Secretary of
State whose apartments are above his
own, or of the private secretaries,
charged with the delicate and important
duty of opening the correspondence winch
flows in upon him from every corner
Of the civilized and unciviiiZed world.
Between the spells of work he had
found time to eat light breakfast, may
be of fruit, bread. and chocolate. His
physician. the late DIR. Ceccareili, was
most careful In iinpressing upon MS
august client the wisdom of regularity
in such matters.
when giving audience TO the cardinals
or archbishops who may have been sum
moncd 10 his presence. the Holy tather
usually wears the white cassock.
HE converses with his guests either In
Italian, French, or Latin. In all OF which
idioms alike he Is at home. His Latin
has been compared, and not unfavorably'
with that OF the great classics. His
French, which is extremely pure, 's spoK-
en- with a slight accent
HIS ELOQUENT VOICE.
His voice." as the Cardinal remem-
bered IT, twas deep. clear. well modulated,
and penetrating. Though not exception
ally strong. 1t suggested vitality and
health.
Altogether, II was an interesting
voice, and sui generis. Long after the
echoes of his words had died away the
memory OF them fingered in the heart.
''He spoke very slowly and deliberately,
80 that even those who might not be IN
timately acquainted with the language he
was using could follow him quite readily
in intoning mass his voice could be
heard at a considerable distance"
The manner of his Holiness while
talking is alternately affectonate and IA
miliar. or lofty and dignified.
HE would occasionally interrupt the
discussion of the matters before him 10
put some searching and pertinent ques-
ton. invariably showing how deeply he
was interested In his subject and how
closely he had thought upon the religious
and social problems Of the far-away New
World he loves SO we'll.
A PAPAL PORTRAIT.
1.-THE spiritual and intellectual qualities
which so pre-eminently distinguished Leo
XIII. were eloquently reflected in his
somewhat fragile and slender frame. Ms
fnely-shaped hands. and his expressive,
wan. and characteristic countenance. II
was plain that the divine fire burned
brightly within that apparently delicate
body. And. as ne talked. the frequent
sparkle In the eyes and the faint flush
on his venerable cheeks revealed the Holy
Fathers zeal"
OF all the eminent ecclesiastics ne has
met, Cardinal Gibbons recalled one-Cardi.
nal Neutrality-suspicious. face and figure were
even remotely suggestive Of the Popes.
PoNTIFFS IN CONTRAST.
every marked IL the contrast between
the rounded, debonnaire. paternal form
Of Plus IN, and the slighter. but singu-
larry Impressive figure OF his successor
10 the vice-regency OF Christ on earth.
when he enters room he gldes
rather than walks across tho floor, SEEM
Ing less a being OF mere fiesh and matter,
like ordinary men, than, as IL were.
temporarily embodied spirit.
Small. though his stature Is, ton. the
Holy Father has q curious and extra
ordinary majesty as he Is borne through
the halls OF his palace In the wondrous
pageants of the Church. or as he sits
upon his throne CLOSING and opening the
mouths OF the newly.created cardinals"
STRONG AND ENDURING.
II Is marvellous TO see with what forti-
tude the Pope endures long ceremonies
which would be trying to the strength of
far more youthful priests.
During the two memorable Jubilee years.
when all the nations Of the earth were
bringing tribute TO his feet, and ambassa-
doris, pilgrims, and princes were crowdlng
the ante-roomS Of the Vatican. II was not