The times., 1901-05-05

There is a vast deal of curiosity eVinced
by the visitors to the Franciscan Mon
astery at Brookland. concerning the in
terror of that institution proper. The
public, while they are shown all over the
church and through the subterranean
passages representing the Catacombs at
Rome and the shrines of the Holy Land
are vigorously excluded from the abode of
the good monks and the grounds at the
rear of the monastery.
1t is sometimes very amusing to watch
the manifestations of that strange fever
of inquisitiveness assert itself in people
who are conducted through the portions
open to visitors. As they pass through
the apartment separating the church from
the cloisters, they eagerly crane their
necks to get a peep inside the forbidden
door leading into the mysterious precincts
where the recluses live and perform their
sacred duties
1t was a Times reporters privilege to
be accorded special permission to visit the
interior of the monastery and the ad-
joining grounds. After accompanying a
party through the catacombs and having
the symbolic meanings of the numerous
chapeis and shrines explained by a young
monk, the reporter was ushered by the
latter through the mysterious portal and
found himself in the cloisters of the mon
astery. This is the term, as doubtless
everyone knows, used to designate the
open gallery extending around the four
sides of the interior courtyard of the
building. Persons who visited the World
Fair at Chicago in 1893 will doubtless re-
call the wonderfully faithful reproduction
of the old monastery OF La Rabida in
Spain which fronted the inland sea upon
I,,,iIf Tlx,
monastery of Mount St. Sepulchre at
Brookland is constructed substantially
upon the same simple plan as La Rabida
and all those homes for recluses which
are scattered plentifulIy throughout
southern Europe and the southern por-
tions of this country and continent.
Around the cloister, its open arches dis
closing the courtyard planted with beauti-
full flowers raised in the greenhouses of
the monastery, the good monks walk in
seasona bic weather. This is the principal
recreation they enjoy, although they take
long ranbles occasionally throughout the
the city when they discard the garb of
their order and dress in ordinary cloth
ing. In the centre of the courtyard Is
large open we'll of brick surmounted by an
ornamental arch of ironwork. This well,
which supplies the drinking water of the
house, is fed from the caves of the roof
The downspouts are turned into a large,
underground filter, the position of which
is marked by a certain flower bed
Through this filter the rain and snow
water percolates to the well in which it is
received In crystal purity.
On the first floor, off the cloisteF, are
the offices OF the Commissariat of the
Holy Land These are situated in the
south side OF the building and the cieri-
cal duties of the Office. INVOLVING vast
amount of correspondence with all parts
of this country, and indeed, the world,
employ a number of monks, of whom
there are about fifty-five in the monas-
terry. The prior OF St Sepulchre. Father
Godfrey. is designated as Commissar1at
of the Holy Land, his province being TO
preserve the shrines and sacred places
from the insults and depredations of the
Turks, and in proper repair, for which
object donations are received from all
parts of the world. The north side of the
building is devoted To the class-rooms
library, museum. etc, for the benefit OF
students who are instructed here for duty
in the Holy Land. where. at the compile
ton of their course of tuition, they are
sent TO teach in the schools established
by missionaries of the order among the
Turks There are fifteen students in the
monastery at present: this time year
ago there We're but seven. With the eX-
ception Of two Engtshmen, these stu
dents are all Americans. The refectories
and recreation rooms open on the clois-
ter on the east side Of the building. The
refectories or dining rooms are plain, but
inviting from their air of extreme cleanli-
ness. on the occasion Of the reporters
visit the tables, huge affairs of polished
of cold meat and vegetables were to he
noticed and a pewter cup for coffee stood
by each plate
Looking into the courtyard from above
the open cloister are the cells of the
monks and the common hail on this up
per floor commands, through its windows,
a view of the rear garden and grounds
and the whole surrounding countryside.
nj ind ha from
these windows upon a lovely spring after
noon such as that on which the visitor
made his tour of inspection of the singu-
lar institution. The peace and serenity
of the scene disclosed by each open case
ment through which came the delicious
incense from garden and field was Ger
and quietude which prevailed in the in
terror of the religious building
Father Seratino fsuch was the name OF
the friar who conducted the visitor
through the monastery led the way into
apartment which is, at present, being
fitted NJ as a library. The polished oak
woodwork of the shelves is ornamented
with the arms of the Franciscan order
This armorial barring. the identical one
employed by the Crusaders, is seen
throughout the building 1t is displayed
in red against the white field OF the ban
ner that flies at the side of the church,
and the ground plan Of the latter, the
cross of the main structure with the four
supplementary chapels, each between two
You viii have mostly religious books in
the library?' was tn strangers query.
''Oh! no: we will have all Kinds cf
books" answered Father Seratino.
well, not cheap novels
Dickens, Thackery. and
"Oh, yes we have all of those. We read
anything that is not absolutely improper.
On the doors of the cells of the monks
are the names of the respective occupants
-"Fr. Lucius," 'Fr. Charges, etc. These
= q. Al
each about eight feet square, containing
only an iron bed and chair, a crucitiN
on the wall and perhaps representation
of skull and eross-bones inscribed with
or rug covers the bare concrete floor
Every portion of the building is, however
well heated in winter by not water, and
gas is the method of Illumination en-
ployed.
Every room in the monastery, besides
the monks cells, rs called by its Latin
designation which is written upon it's
door. Thus, over the entrances of some
apartments Is read the word "hospes,
literally meaning shelter, name rem
dered venerable IN monastic annals by
noble aid afforded travellers and wayfar-
ers by such gentle Christians as the god
monks OF st. Bernard In the Mount
Sepulchre monastery the rooms thus deS-
ignated are used as reception apartments
for the use of personal visitors TO the
monks and non-clerical professors or
whom there are four. There are also Wis
~iting priests and monks who come to the
monastery from time 10 time and for
these a number OF rooms has been set
apart in the east and west sides OF the
building. Each of these rooms Is labeled
with the name of some saint
The museum of the monastery is still
a thing of the future, as Father Serahno
explained. although a number OF speci-
mems have already been received
Following Father Serahno down tne
broad stone steps to the basement of the
building the via tor found himself in