Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-08-20
CHAPTER I.
rMPEprMEyr OR NOTABLE CRIME

There IL always u considerable con-
erc2ation in the old cathedral on the
day appointed for the ordering OF priests.
Is tEc whole town were TO assist at the
function, the enormous nave would not
be half filed. As il is, the chancel on
such occasions il always full, and good
part Of the space under the central tower
Is sprirkled with people. nearly all Of
them ladies. The ordering Of priests is
an impressive and solemn ceremony.
Tho powers conferred by the bishop upon
the young men thus ordered are by some
interpreted literally to be really as ire
mcni1us as the words of the rubric
mean. IL IL, again, interesting and even
pathetic to see body OF young men-for
the most part not five and twenty
solemnly and in the face of the world en-
tering upon vows by virtue of which they
arc TO give up the whole Of their lives,
with all their time. all their intellect,
all their soul and all their strength, to
the work Of the church and to make Of
themselves ''wholcsomc examples and
patterns to the flock Of Christ" 1t is
the remuneration OF the world; it is q
taking of the veil; these young men are
hcnccforth set apart; their companions,
thoir conversation, their studies, their
recrcations can never again be rs they
were; even IL they should become bank
rupts in faith--a most terrible disaster
for one who has thus been ortlcred-and
were tn take the benefit Of the act"
and put off the style and title, the dress
and profession, Of cleric, they would re-
main still separate and apart from other
mon they can never again be the same |;
the ccclcsiastic never becomes really a
layman; he falls into extravaganccs
when he makes the attempt for the rest
81 his life he is haunted with the mem.
CRY of his former profession. Act Of par
Lament or not, this ordering, once &C.
ccptcd, is life sentence. like q pecragc.
This was an ordination in spring.
Outside in the quiet, beautiful close,
with its great trees and level sward and
low old houses surrounded by flower
gardens and covered with crccpcrs, the
returning swallows dartcd about, the
laburnums and the lilacs were in bios.
som, the wistari1 was beginning. The
primrose and the first flowers were in
blossom after long winter. Light
clouds flew across the sky. with north
west breeze making shade and chasing
sunshine on the turf. In the cathedral
the sun lit up the woodwork and showed
the splcndor Of the carved marbles and
covered the heads Of the candidates
with glory or with halo of promise
The chanccl, I say. was quite full.
The venerable bishop sat in the chair
within the altar rails on the north side
unless it was the south perhaps, or
tho west, or tho east. Tho venerable
dean was in his rlacc-the left hand
stall as you 90 in, under miraculous
canopy carved when there were giants
in the world. Tho venerable archdeacon
sat in his place ready TO get up and adj
vance to- the bishop. The venerable can.
ons and the venerable honorary canons
sat in their stalls; the minor canons,
not So venerable, in theirs. The vener-
able vcrgers. in long black gowns, stood
outside the chanccl. They also were
venerable, because nobody at this cathe.
dral can hold any Office under the aye
OF so except the minor canons aforesaid
and the choir boys. The church il very
old. The trees, the garden. the houses
Of the close are old. Tho tombs in the
church arc old. The clergy are old. 1t
Is u temple Of old age. Tho people be-
longing to it never get any older. Why
should they? Sometimes they forget to
wake in the morning, or they fall asleep
in the daytime. So. changes occur from
time to time, but they get no older.
Tho candidates. Of whom there were,
believe, some 30, sat in their places
below tho stalls They wcrc for tho
most part quite young men-not more
than five and twenty rs an averagc-of
the usual honest English stamp-.hat is
to say, large Of limb, square of Shout
der, deep of chest, their faces awed by
the solennity of the occasion and the
gravity Of the vows they were about to
make, when the bishop, sitting in his
chair. should put certain momentous
questions to them and they should reply
In certain momentous words pledging
them to things very serious indeed.
Among the candidates was one whose
face attracted the attention Of every one
present He was tall young man with
rather narrow shoulders; his hair. 50
dark rs to 30 nearly black. was parted
Mt the side, which is moro effective than
the usual down the middle style. Dur
ing the morning prayer. which prcccdcs
the ordering. he showed, apparently
without the least knowledge that any
ono was observing him (although one OF
two afterward said that he had been all
the time acting), u fcrvor Of devotion
amounting almost to rapture In the
psalms he sang. but with notes subducd,
afinc tenor. During the prayers the SUI
through the painted windows fell upon
his upturned face. So that il gluwet
with Light uncarthly. And such :
face' IL was pale. tho features wcr,
straight and regular. the forehead Wa
high and narrow. the eyes were large
limpid and dark, the check ard lip an,
chin were smooth and covered with a.,
very light down of hoyhocl untcuchc,
by razor. Ii was the face Of n rc,t. o
one who believes without doubt or qIcs
tion, OF q fiery orator. Of an ideal priest
IL was q face never To be forgotten.
When morning prayer was ended, :
sermon was preached ~ a certain icarrc,