New-York tribune., 1900-07-09
An AMERICAN MONASTERY.
LIFE AT ST. ME1NRAD N INDIANA. NEAR TIE
OHIO RIVER.
Corrssnondenca Of The Chicago Record

Correspondence of The Chicago Record
Among the hills OF Spencer County. thirty miles
north OF the Ohio River and fifteen miles from the
most potent signs OF civilization the railroad IS 20
be seen the only monastery in Indiana The name
of the monastery Is St Meinrad The little town
which bears the same name mas grdlla-E come 20
cluster about the monastery, ana Is lser an object
of great interest
The population OF the town does not exceed Ae
and of these fully 800 are Germans The language
the habits and the spirit OF the little place are de-
CfdedIy German The country about Is inhabited
by people of German descent Nearly all she people
wooden shoes. drink beer and are addicted
to the of the long pipe. Tne common interest
of the people of the country Wei as the people
being on high hill. tower ulaJestlcaIly above tae
little town The town nestles among the trees N
the the yalsy ley as the latter stretches mile wide as
ST. Meinrad's Monastery is maintained by the
monks ana the brothers OF the Orcer or 81 bele-
itb cLT,, ne go - - .n-t1az 1 I r. - one - re
oldest of the Catholic orders. and was prominent
Benedfct, Of Nursia. Italy In 80 he With
drew from the life Of the world and founded
Mount Casino. near Naples. his order. Durny
says; He drew up for the monks Of Mount
Casino statutes which were promptly adopted
throughout Gaul or France These wise Tesa-
vded the time Of the monks into periods OF prayer
and mental and manual labor They were oo1gsso
manuscripts. Some little literary life was thus pre-,
served in the retirement OF tne 1nonasIer5es 5 AM
model farms. They presented examples or acuSly
and industry for the laborer. the mechanic and Ihe
Through the Church the order ot 81, Benetiet
countries where the Catholic Church obtained a
IoothoId me dsIc ase l-s 90 ~ 49, A. 80
the most powerful the Benedlctlnes had thirty
seven thousand rnonasteries They had the nnest
and most numerous mCnastertes Of England. Spain-
The library Of S. Metnrad's Il ths most rsmArk-
able and interesting In Indiana Etsrs are - ls
found the Oldest volumes in the state Issss az, az
books printed troIrl type ana eating pa@~ = -
thrty-one years after the invention q VIinL;Es
BY the side OF these books are stu older ones
which were written before the invention % Vrtt-
often spent their entire lives in copying a aanl-
script, and then were unable 70 complete tAs WerA
apofbsr TheSe BOOKS are printed On parchn1eui
value OF this library. composed of 15,at vOl1n5s-
mostly Latin Greek and German works. cannot =
estimated. The largest single work IN the state s
in this library. and consists OF 90 volumes eoset
nearly as large as a dictionary.
There at present Is students n the eecesaas-
from Bavaria Baden. Italy Switzerland. solIn
AInerlca AN ana otneE ioreIEH Paces Is IIs,e,I c, 40
does not intend TO educate himself FOR the lie le1
for 'f vyear 19%9I h5s tr If T thsn % tbey have Changed
their minds they may withdraw But II they Eisa
OF. the order to a limited extent When they com
plete me ten years ot study they are gwen nv nv
There are some interesting things about the fife
atre where the best OF plays are reproduced by
students. No feminine characters. however ever
appear on the stage These parts are neatly eI'
out and the rest or the plav Is presented Eticne-
lieu the play given last class day. OF course
any play that has love for women as the there
CaNnOt he acted
All the work about the monastery is perforrnSSC
hv men, Women have no place in the ure on Inc
bill
Al St Melurad's as AZ all other uo7qsteries there
brothers ss we'll monks. The ciStLnctt1I
between them fs easily explained. The monks az
men Of education who pledEs themselves 70 lhss
work OF the order The brothers unedueaJeu
men who Dadga their DhvStCsl hei7VS ans aoilitleS
to the Church They all take about the same Vows
The brothers live In separate buildings ana a.
trea ted "a lahOrerS They eNprct nothing hut tot'
living and they the ones that TIL the SOL
care for the cronS and the stock They earn t1e
living maintain the monks and make the erection
~ new buildings possible. They the producers
Wheh thev die thsv buried In the same l't
with the fathers The brothers are PROBABLY tne
hest farmers in the State The care ana condi-
tion OF the many belOnEtng 70 the monastery
are proof that they are s&hfuI and IuteIiSent
WOrkmSu.
hangs about the monastery. The monks have not
been able 10 shut cut every thing i'm the way o.
modern life There is electric bell az the door
the buildings are lighted by electric lights anc
NOT with candles. q hot air furnace CCUbatS the
cold and a water system adds 20 the Convenience
OF the place. y tSleuhODe line a. Ferdinand
ana another Dale. the nearest railroad sta
tgn fifteen miles