The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-02-27
SOLEMN AND GLOOMY WALLS
Customs. That Have Been Kept Up
for Thousands OF rsars-A
Midnight Service.
IS. Wells in Travel,

let Sucn IL really u. IoEs sur
by lofty walls. the two hun
dred inmates OF La Grande Chartreuse
speak but once a week. Monasticism
is looked upon as a thing of the past.
yet in this, the chief nome Of the Car
thusians, the same ceremonies and |
customs and service have been con-
Quoted without a break for nearly n |
thousand years. and as a monk told us. |
with pride, without needing to be re- |
organized or reformed" We had tray- |
eled by train To Grenoble. where
diligence was waiting to- take passen-
gers along fifteen miles OF the road
But no, The old pilgrim feeling was
upon US. and. dusty as the road looked.
miles on foot. The road lay for the
most part up valley. which presented
an ever-changing panorama OF Wild
and beautiful scenery. At length we
entered the Gate OF the Desert between
two immense rock cliffs. so close to-
getner that the suns rays never shine
upon the river rushing below. Carved
upon the rock high above our heads
We could see the well-known symbol
OF the Carthusians. for here We enter
with a cross, bearing the legend, The
cross stands firm while the world re-
wolves" II was ut Inis point that st.
Bruno penetrated into the solitude of
the desert. Thanks 90 the ,abors of
his followers, who little by little dur
ing the centuries overcame the diff
culties of nature. we found n passable
road, usually nothing but q broad ledge
quarried out of the side OF an almost
perpendicular rock.
A parapet, two or three feet high.
protected us from the terrors OF the
precipice, except where IL had been
broken away by the mighty rains and
snow avalanches. Here and there
bridges-maryels OF engineering con-
struction. crossed the ravine. while
trees on every side.
l dined alone in the Pavilion de
France II was somewhat lonely.
there being only one small Hight to 81
comfortably two or three hundred.
lOutside are long. bare corridors. lined
with n vast number OF chambers. now
unused. Years ago. when there were
between two and three --,.ndred Car
thusian monasteries scattered all over
Europe. all these rooms would be snnu-
ally filled by the priors and their at
PENDANTS; but changes have taker
place. and most OF the religious houses
Icing suppressed or IN ruins. there ar,
solemn conference. AT an early houl
1 asked to be conducted to my cham
Der. 1t had been used by monks Ion,
years ago: all that remains OF then
now is nameless grave. The furni
ture, however, is apparently the sam
"a plain cell. almost a tomb. brick
fioored and stone-vaulted: a bed twt
feet wide, with thick wooden coverlets
! a chair, a table, with basin and towel
and a ''prie-dieu" The only ornamen
rough wooden crucifix. no carpet. n
looking-giass. These, / suppose. ar
vanities.
A hard straw mattress, bolster stun
ed with the same material. two blac
blankets. IN Icy wind descending fror
the mountain, and q cell cold as
. tomb. are not conducive to an easy {
hasty journey to the land OF dream
- / fancied I had only just fallen aslee
when l was awakened BY the scnorot
n clang of the convent bell II was a
y unearthly sound IN the still darkne:
OF midnight, and IN the, gloomy dep;
\ OF this wooded gorge. Quickly dres
ing, i went, candle IN hand. down q
long. lonely corridors, looking for q
door which brother" had point'
-. out Is the entrance TO the chapel e.
n lery. This lies At the end OF n hu,
liz vaulted hall, divided into parts by
r high rood screen o. carved oak with
tall crucifix. one OF which - reserv.
q for the fathers, and the other for q
Ill lay brothers Beyond this screen q
choir and altar could be d.mly Sc
by the light OF n solitary lamp burniI
to before the sanctuary. Leading oy
=, "a the cold stone balustrade I watch'
white-robei figures noiselessly glide
y, one by one, each carrying "a lit
ny lighted lamp. and looking very ghos;
ee and mysterious.
IS Then At the stroke of Il loud NJ
unison OF many voices broke the S.
emn silence. singing the praises
the Most High" In the dimly-lieht
d. chapel, from those vnite fingers the