The Republican journal., 1898-06-02
Savonarola.

.ost exalted. heroic and wonderful
,stqrs of modern history. The power
sloIuence and the intensity of his
1arnestness have never been sur
Florence adored him, then be-
! and burned him, and now after
.uuGred years ranks his name with
NJ Dante and Michael Angelo. In
frs which he SO passionately loved
,ho.e he was so cruelty put to death,
amDts have been made for most
liz c0mmemoration of his martyr
autlines of his career can be COM
.l in paragraph, though his in
wdens with the centuries. The
VI his activity was comparatively
Isl. The fascination of his career is
q d multiplicity of brilliant events,
=, tle marvellous charm of his mystic
t. and his moral greatness. He was
e! than his environment, though the
lemarkable city of modern times was
lcna of his triumphs and of his
M lie was sublime and mysterious
rorce. We will compress his career
ftw dates, and then briefly present
l The elements of his greatness.
was born at Farrara, Sept. u, 1852.
UTE he prayed, Lord teach me the
ay soul should walk A sermon
IN l474 determined him to become
TX and on April "a of the following
.e uttered the Dominican convent at
ul asking to be employed in the
sst services. In the monastery he
Il his time between prayers and
uuS; he was worn to spectre; in
,tN humility and obedience he sur
m his brethren; he was subject to
frances. In 1881 he commenced
.l4. but at first manifested no extra
N power. The same year he first
The convent of San Marco at
with which in after years he
prominently identified. He
he novices in the convent and
.ad to diminishing congrega-
he great church of San Lorenzo.
aeu preacher at San Gemignano in
Ue first manifested his overwhelm-
nit power, proclaiming that the
would be scourged, then regenerat-
that this would come to pass
. In 1856 his preaching at
seemed like a voice from another
In 1889 he re- entered the con
san Marco at Florence by invita-
Lorenzo the Magnificent. On
ot that year he preached his first
in the church of San Marco, to an
-e audience that quivered with
md trembled with terror. His
mons in the Duomo We're the fol
year, in which also he was elect
OF san Marco. In April, 1892,
II his famous visit to the dying
u De Medici In 1894 Piero De
vas deposed and Savonarola be-
political leader and saviour of
.e. At his suggestion the Greater
was established, modelled after
t Venice, and having power to
Mil the chief magistrates and APP
the laws. Liberty was restored
# zee and it became the best govern
most orderly city in Italy. There
marvellous reformation of morals.
.emacy continued undisturbed for
sls, and then storms of malignant,
and furious opposition began to
The city had been reformed, but
|lverted. There were parties de-
leI ON the prophets destruction
The end they triumphed by the aid
nope, the infamous Alexander VI.
vo years the city was ruled from
H. Then the bitterness and vio-
IF his foes plunged it into sea of
e.. and in gathering gloom the heroic
.eI untiinchingly looked forward to
iityrdom which he knew could not
q delayed. For about year storms
ushine alternated. The crisis came
fae unfortunate Experimental on
b. 1913, and the tickle populace that
red him turned against him. On
tMng of the next Sunday the church
Marco was stormed, and Savonar-
1endered to his enemies, saying to
then as he babe them farewell,
ethren, yield not to doubt. The
The Lord shall 90 forward with
sing, and my death will but hasten
.acredibly cruel tortures followed,
the evening of May - he was SEN
90 die on the following morning
IFS rwo principal disciples. He came
nal hour in serene and triumphant
When he had been stripped of his
.l's and the embarrassed Bishop of
ii Lad said, 81 separate thee from
Alrch Militant and the Church
liant, " the intrepid reformer firm
d, "From the Church Militant,
e Church Triumphant; that is not
lower. His last words were,
.e last hour God alone can give NOR
MORT" and, 1.-The Lord hath suf-
40 much for me- He was hung
rued, and his ashes were thrown
be- Arno.
marola's power as preacher was
Bat for years the people of Florence
e surrounding region rose early in
1pining and went to the Duomo
beforehand to be sure of chance
ud through the sermon. Peasants
hes left their homes in the middle
night to be in time to get in. Such
$ pico Mirandola felt cold shiver
rough them and their hair stand on
hen Savonarcla predicted the divine
tents. At times the vast audience
INTO uncomfortable weeping. His
as were usually terrible: 81 am
alto the hail." he said, (Which pelts
Iua who is out in the open air." But
be- talked of the love of God his APP
nee was like that of an angel and his
IS was overwhelming. The floor Of
incense Duomo being insufficient to
MEDIATE the multitudes, seventeen
of seats were erected against the
u The sides of the nave, and these
o@upied by the children of the city.
ou.d sometimes preach for hours at
q. n, the crowds unconscious of the
of Tine. The fame OF his sermons
uel that the Sultan had them trans
into Turkish that he might read
patriotic love for Florence was as
ass rs it was passionate. His ability
BOSNIAN was such that the greatest