New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-09


Catholic Church IS wonderfully well adjusted
machine and as such has often extorted .compli-
ments from those who have no sympathy with It's
ideas-Lord Macaulay. for instance. There Is no
record Of any human organization at all approach
ing r. in size and diversity OF interests that has
worked with little friction and as much unity
OF purpose. But even the Roman Church has not
been able wholly to alay the long-standng Jealousy
that exists between the regular clergy Of the
various religious orders and the secular clergy
Some readers by the way. may be puzzled at these
two designations. Ordinarily among Protestants
the phrase regular clergy would be taken 10 mean
the clergy who settled over parishes and they
would naturally apply the term TO the parish
priests Of the Roman Church IN fact, some daily
papers have recently declared that American
Catholics would prefer of the regular clergy to
be appointed Apostolic Delegate rather than
priest Of a religious order But in the Roman
Church priest who belongs to religious order Is
always said to be member OF the regular clergy
because he lives according TO a regula. or rule
And similarly, the settled parochial clergy are
known as secular priests because they live in the
world and not apart from It, in monasteries or re-
ligious houses.
1t would be impossible in the limits Of this
article to give even the briefest history Of the
ligous orders Of the Church. Monachism has
played a large part In the life Of Christianity and
the chronicle of It's rise and growth is depart
ment of religious literature that no student OF
Christianity can afford ignore. Doubtless. in
many cases the monastic orders worked evil, and
the Church itself was frequently compelled to APP
ply its discipline to them. But In medieval times
It ls Just as certain that they often benef-
icent influence and candid Protestant historians
have not hesitated to acknowledge the debt that
Christianity to them.
THE BENEDICTINES.
The Benedctine order, for long time the great
est order In Europe was founded by Benedict Of
Nursia who born about $50. In 52S he retired
to Monte Casino and drafted his celebrated rule.
which is an elaborate treatise Of nearly eighty
chapters and IS the foundation OF all monastlc
rules. The watchwords of the order as laid down
in the rule were obedience silence. humility, wor-
ship, study and work. 1t was one OF st. Benedicts
aims to extirpate the large class OF tramp
monks" that had arisen IN the community. All
members equality. and the abbot was
enjoined to take counsel with the whole monastery
before deciding on any matter. Moderation In eat
Ing and conversation was inculcated but there was
no hard and fast rule Ike that of the modern
Trappists In other matters the rule was pervaded
by much common-sense. While the life was dis
tinctively religious life. the members were TO work
as well pray, for ideness was declared to be the
enernv of the soul The rule Of st. Benedict was
in fact an early exempllhcation OF a phrase that
has gained wide currency to-day plain living and
high thinking The Benedictine monks built schools
and taught in them, and preserved nearly all the
ancient Latin literature that has come down to our
day But perhaps more important than all else
the order emphasized the dignity OF work at time
when multitudes looked upon IT as dshonorabie
stil another service that 1t rendered was In the
missionary field where ts members laid the foun-
dalton Of stable Christian civilization in many
countries Of Europe BY the fifteenth century 1t
numbered 5000 abbeys, Westminster Abbey being
Of them.
There is no Benedctine monastery In New-fork.
bur the order is we'll represented in this country.
The American Cassinese Congregation, of which
Bishop Leo Had. OF Belmont. n. c.. Is the presi-
dent has eight hourishing abbeys. in Beatty. Penn
Collegyille Mimi. Atchison. Kan; Newark. y. j..
Belmont ~ c.; Culman, Ala; Chicago. H.. and
Pasco County. Fla. The American Swiss Congre
cation OF which Bishop Fintan Mundwiler. of St
Menrad 1 md Is cdncepon Mo speierye Ark
and Gessen, La. There are also three independent
abbeys In the West
THE MENDICANT ORDERS.
Next in Importance to the Benedictines were the
mendicant orders or triars. the best known OF
which are the Franciscans. also known as Mino-
rites and Gray Frars. founded by Francis Ber-
nardone, OF Assist. in 1903. and the Domnicans
founded by Dominic Guzman, OF Osna, Spain. in
lNs The leading idea Of Francis was TO elevate
poverty as the first OF the Christian graces The
aim OF Dominic was TO train great body OF able
preachers who could reach the masses; for Il will
be in studying the religious orders that they
strove TO meet many problems that are supposed TO
be wholly modern Francis a poet and ideast
and his order was poets attempt to make the
Church pure democracy Tho order brought the
Gospel TO the poor: its preachers poor men
themselves and wore only coarse brown frock
tied around with bit of rope. Their earnestness
and zeal gained them the veneration Of the popu-
lace while their love OF learning and art attracted
TO the order OF the greatest scholars OF the
time among them Ours Scotus the famous school
man, whose philosophy the Franciscans espoused.
while the Domnicans adopted the philosophy OF ST
Thomas Aqulnas, who was himself Dominican.
The controversy between the Scotists ana the
Thomlsts was singuarly barren from the nine
! teenth century point Of view; but 10 those WHO
took part in IL 1t seemed all important Fiy
wears after its origin the Franciscan ORDER num-
bred aoo COO monks At present II has about loo
n,amhsrs II has n number OF monasteries In TINS
country and some excellent schools i,
Srn 49,, DomnIcan convent In this country IL
in Lexington-ave. in this city between sxty-n,.n
INA Sirtv-s,xth sts The church Is IN the same
hiack ana to-day the anniversary OF 81. Dominic