Washington sentinel., 1899-07-08
tt ~ SENTINEL
The Caves or st. anthony.
SUNDAY at H0Ms.

Egypt A. d. $50, and beca ne her
NIT in the desert, where he died
at the age of Io4. The other An
thony was not born till II95. He
was a native OF Lisbon and died in
Padua; but he was neither entirely
Portuguese or Italian. He was by
ancestry, at least in part, a French
man; a descendant Of the great
Duke Godfrey who led an army
to the first Crusade, and who was
chosen as the first Christian king
Of Jerusalem. Early in the thir-
tsenth century the young aristo-
crat threw himself with enthusi-
asm into the movement started by
Francis OF Assist, TO revive the
ancient practice OF monastic pow
erty and self denial. Like other
reYIvals Of religious life, this OF
St. Francis became a missionary
movement. and FIVE members OF
the new Franciscan brotherhood
found martyrdom while attempt
ing to convert the inhdels Of Mo-
rocco. "St Anthony Of Padua," "
as he was afterwards called, sailed
for Africa but was wrecked on the
Italian coast. He at once began
an itinerating mission, in the
course Of which he preached not
only in the towns Of Italy but in
the lane Of his ancestors. No part
OF France was so conspicuously
honored bv his presence as the
district OF Brive, in the province
Of Limousin. So, at any rate, the
people Of that little town assure US.
In the year Ia26, it appears, he
founded a monastery there and
became its Father Superior.
"While he occupied that post he
wrought the miracle of the onions
preserving from torrent OF rain
servant who was in the field pick
ing onions for the poor friars, for
whom the Superior had nothing
TO eatl' quote this from a cur
iOus illustrated publication en-
titled, "Album OF the Pilgrimage
OF Our Lady OF Succour, Queen
of Angels, and Of St. Anthony Of
Paoua at the Grottoes Of BrIVe."
However modest a man Anthony
may have been and however loyal
to his leaders principles oil self
abnegation, he could not prevent
superStitious hero worshippers
after his death from putting Saint"
before his name and crediting him
with supernatural powers. Fame
OF this kind grows, or used to
grow, like a rolling SNOWFALL; and
one Of the most frequented shrines
in France today is that erected in
honor OF the lieutenant OF St.
Francis among the hills OF Limou-
sin.
The spot marked out for the ven.
Grafton OF pilgrims is not that on
which Anthony founded the mon.
asterY Of BriVe, but a secluded
nook lew mi es out OF the town,
The towns great charm for the
saint, indeed, appears to have been
the seclusion he could always find
among the surrounding hills. The
strenuous life that he lived, in con-
starr combat with the self-indui-
gent deeeneraCy Of his time, and
perhaps also N preserving har-
monY and discipline among the
monks whom be had gathered to
gether, doubtless required this
relief AT one spot Anthony dis
covered quite an ideal retreat.
AT the loot OF a little crag of
gTeS 6tgarre, or mottled sandstone,
he found three or four caves ft
tor heTmit's retreat, They were
not caves OF the sort we hear Of in
chIldren's stories, with a narrow
opening concealed in bushes and
a tortuous passage leading to mys.
terious chambers in the bowels OF
the earth. No; they were simply
horizontal Sits penetrating Just
far enough under the overhanging
rock to shelter the inmate from
the rain, and offering no protec
tion from the gaze OF any peasant
who might chance that way to seek
a straYing goat or hunt a preda
tory wolf, The caves or grottoes
are now draped with ferns and
creepers that suggest recent visit
from a landscape gardener; but the
wilder vegetation that sprawled
over the rock in the untamed era
OF St. Anthony, and covered the
whole outlook OF hill and valley
in front, must have been beautiful
enough to rest the eyes Of the soli-
tarY monk, and doubtless soothed
his mind # tor a moment he al.
lowed his thoughts to wander from
his task OF prayer and introspec-
tion.
Inward raptures and distresses
formed themselves into strange
visions in the monkish mind; and
one OF these imaginings has since
been enshrined as historical fact
in the minds OF his followers. |
tell the story in the words OF the
SAINTS biographer. the Able Bon
nSlys and Of a writer in the "Album
du Pelerinage" The spirit Of dark
ness, it seems, was particula larly
jealous o the imm ense good done
in Limousin, and was furious
against the great missionary be-
cause not a day passed but he
snatched some souls from the
devils grasp, or perhaps because
he baffied his tricks by destroying
his weaPons-the heresy Of the
Albigenses in particular. One day
in the year Is76, while the saint
was praying in the solitude Of his
cave, the devil rushed upon him
unaWareS seized hin, b,, fba tbro,t